BUCKEYE INDUSTRIES INC DREAM MACHINE 582

Full Narrative

On April 29, 2016, about 1640 eastern daylight time, a Buckeye Industries Dream Machine 582 powered parachute, N9447T, was damaged when it struck the ground near Fortville, Indiana. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight was reported to be a flight test following maintenance. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The local flight originated from Whybrew Field Airport (08IN), Fortville, Indiana, shortly before the accident.

The pilot reported that the accident flight was a test flight following installation of a different canopy on the powered parachute. He reported that he took off from runway 18 and climbed out to about 100 ft agl. He stated that he made a gentle turn into a light wind and the parachute collapsed. The powered parachute fell to the ground and landed flat, breaking the right landing gear axle. The pilot suffered serious injuries as a result of the fall. The pilot speculated that a combination of turbulence and the effect of the turn could have unloaded the parachute, allowing it to collapse, but he could not be sure. He added that a higher altitude may have allowed the parachute to re-deploy. The pilot reported that the parachute passed an inspection by the manufacturer after the accident.