Buckeye Aviation DREAM MACHINE accident near Knoxville, TN
On April 2, 2017, a Buckeye Aviation DREAM MACHINE was involved in an accident near Knoxville, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- April 2, 2017
- Place
- Knoxville, TN
- Aircraft
- Buckeye Aviation DREAM MACHINE · PPAR
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.871°N, 84.157°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170402X04118
Official records · ERA17FA144
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 2, 2017, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Buckeye Aviation Dream Machine powered parachute, N4017L, collided with trees and terrain at Knoxville, Tennessee. The sport pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger was seriously injured. The powered parachute was substantially damaged. The powered parachute was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight. The flight originated at a private, grass airstrip about 1415. The passenger reported that the preflight portion of the flight was uneventful. The takeoff was accomplished on the grass airstrip, and the flight departed to the west. About 1an hour later, the pilot turned to the east toward the passenger's home. After overflying the passenger's home, the pilot maneuvered the powered parachute to the east over rising terrain and trees. The aircraft did not seem to be climbing quickly enough to clear the trees, and the landing gear struck about three trees before the aircraft dropped into the woods, striking tree limbs on the way down. The passenger did not notice any significant change in engine speed before the collision. The passenger egressed his seat; however, he was unable to walk and was met by first responders and transported to a local hospital. The passenger's wife was outside her home at the time of the accident. She noticed that the aircraft was flying "pretty low," and she stated that "it looked like they were flying barel
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to maneuver the aircraft at low altitude, towards rising terrain, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees.
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Browse: Tennessee
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
