Hughes Aero CORP PREDATOR "C" accident near Copemish, Michigan, May 29, 2018
On May 29, 2018 at about 11:58 pm local time, a 2008 Hughes Aero CORP PREDATOR "C" (powered parachute), registered N369SL, suffered minor damage in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Copemish, Michigan (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to take off with a passenger in high-density altitude conditions from a runway with tall grass present, which resulted in the powered-parachute's poor takeoff performance and its inability to clear a tree line and led to a subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2018 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Copemish, Michigan · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes Aero CORP PREDATOR "C" NO SERIES, built 2008 · all PREDATOR "C"s on the register
- Registration
- N369SL · no longer on the register · serial PC010853W406
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot and a passenger departed in a powered-parachute from the pilot's airstrip with calm winds. No anomalies were detected during the preflight inspection. After departure, the powered-parachute would not climb above 8 ft above ground level and was approaching 20-ft-tall trees. The pilot attempted to land between a wire fence and the tree line, and the powered-parachute subsequently impacted the ground and a tree base. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions during the flight and stated that the air was "heavier" than expected. The field elevation at a nearby airport was 634 ft mean sea level (msl), and the calculated density altitude was about 2,821 ft msl. A review of a recent aerial photograph of the pilot's property showed a mowed 600-ft-long runway with a northwest-southeast orientation. At the time of the accident, no runway could be seen on the property because the grass was between 6 and 12 inches tall and appeared unused except for the accident flight. The unmowed runway and high-density altitude conditions likely affected the powered-parachute's takeoff performance, which resulted in the aircraft being unable to clear the trees near the runway.
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 during takeoff/land during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 79.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582ULDCDI (piston); 80 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Copemish MI at 11:58 pm
- Destination: PVT Copemish MI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:57 pm from KFKS, 17 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 CEN18LA206.