NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ERA12CA472
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The operation of a powered parachute by a non-certificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the non-certificated pilot’s loss of aircraft control while landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he purchased the unregistered powered parachute on the internet. He stated he practiced taxiing in the grass beside the runway at a private airport for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and that during that time, he would occasionally fly the powered parachute about 5 feet off of the ground and set it back down in the grass. No one witnessed the accident, and the powered parachute was found at the scene inverted with the pilot inside. Postaccident inspection revealed substantial damage to the undercarriage frame and engine mounts. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident site stated that the pilot held no pilot certificate and that the pilot could not produce maintenance records for the powered parachute. The pilot further stated that he was unsure if any maintenance records existed. The pilot did not keep a pilot log book, had received no flight training, and stated that he had not experienced any mechanical issues with the powered parachute. The non-certificated pilot stated that he purchased the unregistered powered parachute on the internet. He stated that he practiced taxiing in the grass beside the runway at a private airport for 15 to 20 minutes at a time and that he would occasionally fly the powered parachute about 5 feet off of the ground and set it back down in the grass. No one witnessed the accident, and the powered parachute was found in the grass beside the runway partially inverted with the pilot inside. The pilot reported to the responding local law enforcement officer that he was attempting to land the aircraft and did not know what had caused the crash. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the undercarriage frame and engine mounts. The pilot did not keep a pilot log book, had received no flight training, and stated that he had not experienced any mechanical issues with the powered parachute. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Qualification/certification-Pilot - C
- F Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - F
- F Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - F
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2012_ERA12CA472.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗