8145 - South African Civil Aviation Authority

Section/division Occurrence Investigation Form Number: CA 12-12a
POWERED PARAGLIDER ACCIDENT REPORT AND EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
Reference: CA18/2/3/8145
Aircraft Registration N/A Date of Accident 18 June 2006 Time of Accident 0700Z
Type of Aircraft Powered Parachute (PPC)
Type of
Operation
Tandem Introduction flight
Pilot-in-command Licence Type Instructor Age 45 Licence Valid Yes
Pilot-in-command Flying Experience Total Flying Hours Approximately
1000
Last point of departure Cato Ridge Airfield
Next point of intended landing Cato Ridge Airfield
Hours on Type
Approximately
1000
Location of the accident site with reference to easily defined geographical points (GPS readings if possible)
In the Cato Ridge area.
Meteorological Information Clear sky with haze in valleys
Number of people on board 2 No. of people injured 1 No. of people killed 1
Synopsis
The PPC (powered parachute) pilot and passenger were flying along the Duzi River at a low level
in hazy visibility. The aircraft collided with the power lines that spanned the river, with the trike unit
under flying the power lines and the canopy wing overflying the power lines. This stopped forward
flight and in the process broke two of the power cables, bringing them down on the occupants of
the trike unit as they crashed down to the ground. The trike impacted on its right side collapsing
the right-hand main undercarriage backwards and the left-hand main undercarriage forward.
The pilot told the passenger to unbuckle himself and get out of the trike. The pilot had been
severely shocked three times in the events leading up to him being fatally injured. Some locals
assisted the passenger to get the pilot out of the trike. The pilot later died in the passengers arms.
The canopy wing sustained no damage during the accident.
Probable Cause
During a low level flight in hazy conditions the powered parachute collided with power lines at the
Duzi River.
IARC Date Release Date
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Section/division AIID Form Number: CA 12-12a
Telephone number: 011-545-1000 E-mail address of originator:
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT
Name of Owner/Operator : Tristam Burrell
Manufacturer : Fly Products (Home Built)
Model : PPC (Rotax 503)
Nationality : South African
Registration Marks : None
Place : Cato Ridge
Date : 18-06-2006
Time : 0700Z
All times given in this report are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) and will be denoted by (Z). South
African Standard Time is UTC plus 2 hours.
Purpose of the Investigation :
In terms of Regulation 12.03.1 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (1997) this report was compiled in the
interest of the promotion of aviation safety and the reduction of the risk of aviation accidents or incidents and
not to establish legal liability.
Disclaimer:
This report is given without prejudice to the rights of the CAA, which are reserved.
1. FACTUAL INFORMATION
1.1 History of Flight
1.1.1 The pilot was in two minds about flying that day as he had a slight head cold but in
the end decided to fly an introductory flight to a visiting passenger from the Western
Cape. He together with the passenger took-off from the Cato Ridge airfield and
headed down into the Valley of a Thousand Hills area to follow the Duzi River. The
visibility was hazy in the valley and this made things more difficult to see.
1.1.2 A PPC (powered parachute) flies at very slow speeds so one has plenty of time to
see things and take in the scenery. While flying low over the river, the pilot suddenly
realised that there was a power line ahead and initiated a climb, with a turn to the
right to try and avoid impacting the power lines.
1.1.2 The trike unit under flew the power lines and the canopy overflew the top of the
power lines. The angle at which they impacted with the power lines caused them to
slide down the length of the lines, supported by the canopy, which was caught on
top of the power lines. The weight of the trike resulted in the failure of two of the
power lines which fell on top of the trike as it hit the ground. One of the power lines
broke the circuit breaker, which started a process of timed pulses or bursts of
current to try and restore the connection. When a connection cannot be restored,
the system is tripped. The resulting three pulses shocked the pilot three times and
the passenger twice; the passenger was able to free himself from the trike in time
before the third pulse was delivered. The pilot was still alive and was freed by the
passenger and some locals who assisted him. The pilot later died in the passengers
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arms.
1.2 Injuries to Persons
Injuries Pilot Crew Pass. Other
Fatal 1 - - -
Serious - - - -
Minor - - 1 -
None - - - -
1.3 Damage to Aircraft
1.3.1 The trike’s undercarriage collapsed on impact with the ground.
1.4 Other Damage
1.4.1 Electrical burn marks on the pilot seat and frame of the trike unit.
1.5 Personnel Information
Nationality South African Gender Male Age 45
Licence Number XXXXXXX Licence Type SAHPA
Licence valid Yes Type Endorsed PG / PPG / PPC
Ratings Tandem / Instructor
Medical Expiry Date 31-03-2007
Restrictions None
Previous Accidents None
Flying Experience:
Total Hours 1000
Total Past 90 Days Unknown
Total on Type Past 90 Days Unknown
Total on Type Unknown
1.6 Aircraft Information
Airframe:
Type PPC
Serial Number N/a
Manufacturer Home Built
Date of Manufacture 2005
Total Airframe Hours (At time of Accident) Unknown
Last MPI (Date & Hours) N/a
Hours since Last MPI N/a
C of A (Issue Date) N/a
C of R (Issue Date) (Present owner) N/a
Operating Categories PPC
CA 12-12a 23 FEBRUARY 2006 Page 3 of 6

Engine :
Type Rotax 503
Serial Number Unknown
Hours since New N/a
Hours since Overhaul N/a
Propeller :
Type Composite / Unknown
Serial Number Unknown
Hours since New N/a
Hours since Overhaul N/a
Note: Powered parachute aircraft are not required to be registered.
1.7 Meteorological Information
Wind direction Unknown Wind speed Calm Visibility Hazy
Temperature N/a Cloud cover Clear Cloud base None
Dew point N/a
1.8 Aids to Navigation
1.8.1 For this particular aircraft no instruments were fitted.
1.9 Communications.
1.9.1 An Airband handheld radio with intercom capability was utilized for communication.
1.10 Aerodrome Information
1.10.1 The accident did not occur at an aerodrome.
1.11 Flight Recorders
1.11.1 The aircraft was not equipped with a Flight Data recorder (FDR) or a Cockpit voice
recorder and neither recorder was required in terms of the Civil Aviation
Regulations.
1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information
1.12.1 The PPC trike unit sustained damaged on impact with the ground.
1.12.2 On impact with the ground the right-hand main undercarriage bent backwards and
the left-hand main undercarriage bent forward. The propeller ring covering the
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propeller was bent inwards to the rotating propeller, causing the propeller to break.
Indications are that the propeller was rotating on impact with the ground.
1.13 Medical and Pathological Information
Photo1: A similar powered parachute
1.13.1 The results of the post mortem report and toxicology tests were not available at the
time the report was compiled. Should any of the results be positive, an attachment
will be added to this report to include the results.
.
1.14 Fire
1.14.1 Fuel leaked from the carburettors and caught fire, but there are indications that the
fire did not burn for long and extinguished on its own.
1.15 Survival Aspects
1.15.1 The pilot and passenger were properly restrained with safety belts. Both the pilot
and the passenger survived the accident; the pilot died later in the passengers
arms.
1.16 Tests and Research
1.16.1 Not Applicable.
1.17 Organizational and Management Information
1.17.1 This was a tandem powered parachute introductory flight.
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1.18 Additional Information
1.18.1 None.
1.19 Useful or Effective Investigation Techniques
1.19.1 None.
2. ANALYSIS
2.1 During a low level flight following the Duzi River in a valley, with hazy conditions,
the PPC made contact with power lines that spanned the river, with the trike unit
under flying the power lines and the canopy wing overflying the power lines. During
the impact, two power cables broke off and the trike unit impacted the ground. The
PPC unit fell on its right side collapsing the right-hand main undercarriage
backwards and the left-hand main undercarriage forward.
3. CONCLUSION
3.1 Findings
3.1.1 The pilot was the correctly licensed.
3.1.2 The Powered Parachute was in good flying condition and no defects were reported
prior to impact.
3.1.3 The pilot was flying at low level in a valley.
3.1.4 Haze was present in the valley.
3.2 Probable Cause/s
3.2.1 During a low level flight in hazy conditions the powered parachute collided with
power lines at the Duzi River.
4. SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 None.
5. APPENDICES
5.1 None.
Reviewed and amended by Office of the EM:AIID 5 Aug 2010
-END-
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