Powrachute PEGASUS accident near Luling, Texas, August 28, 2012
On August 28, 2012, a Powrachute PEGASUS (powered parachute), registered N554E, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Luling, Texas (Carter Memorial Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Collision with a powerline resulting from the pilot's not maintaining adequate clearance while on a day VFR approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2012
- Place
- Luling, Texas · Carter Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Powrachute PEGASUS · all PEGASUSs on the register
- Registration
- N554E · registry record · serial A 053 PEG
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot was making a day VFR approach to land his powered parachute on a friend’s private property. At the very last moment, he saw a power line directly in front of his final approach path. The pilot tried to land short of the power line because he did not have enough altitude to go over the lines. When the airframe (cart) was only a few feet above the ground, the parachute hit the power line. The parachute caught on the power line and the cart swung forward and to the right and hit the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right underside of the frame. Both the pilot and his passenger exited the cart uninjured. The pilot reported that he had about 50 total flight hours in powered parachute aircraft.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Miscellaneous/other during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 13, 2011
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 208 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 855 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Luling TX
- Destination: Luling TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from RND, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA631.