Southern Powered Parachute Condor accident near Rogersville, Missouri, December 25, 2011
On December 25, 2011 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Southern Powered Parachute Condor, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Rogersville, Missouri (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the takeoff area, which resulted in a loss of control due to the binding of the parachute's lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 2011 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rogersville, Missouri · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Southern Powered Parachute Condor
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The unlicensed pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection of the powered parachute before taking off from the grass airstrip in a hayfield. During the takeoff climb, the powered parachute entered a hard left turn. The pilot noticed that 2 to 4 of the lines attached to the leading and trailing edges of the parachute were stuck together. He pumped the left pedal, the lines came apart, and the powered parachute started to fly straight ahead. However, the powered parachute was nearing trees, and the pilot was unable to avoid a collision. After hitting a tree, the powered parachute descended uncontrolled and impacted the ground. The pilot reported that the lines were likely stuck together by straw from the hayfield that he was using as a takeoff area.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Flight surfaces (wing) › Malfunction
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rogersville MO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Rogersville MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from SGF
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.