Powrachute CORP PEGASUS accident near New London, Wisconsin, September 20, 2008
On September 20, 2008 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Powrachute CORP PEGASUS (powered parachute), registered N7084L, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing (landing roll) near New London, Wisconsin (Mark'S Park And Airfield). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing due to failure of the nose wheel support as a result of an inadequate weld.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2008 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- New London, Wisconsin · Mark'S Park And Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Powrachute CORP PEGASUS · all PEGASUSs on the register
- Registration
- N7084L · registry record · serial A-044-PEG
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and flight instructor of the powered parachute had accomplished approximately 10 touch-and-goes prior to the accident, and "everything went perfectly." However, when the aircraft touched down on the final landing the nose wheel support failed causing the aircraft to ground loop. During the accident sequence the steering bar struck the student pilot in the chest. A postaccident examination revealed that the nose wheel front fork support had failed at a welded joint immediately forward of the airframe attachment bolt. Visual examination of the weld indicated a lack of penetration at the joint. In addition, the weld material did not appear to be of a uniform thickness. The manufacturer subsequently issued a service bulletin advising owners of two failures of the welded joint on the front fork support. The manufacturer recommended that supports be replaced with a Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welded support. The original support may have been Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welded without proper penetration, according to the bulletin.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: powered-lift; rotorcraft: powered-lift
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 330 as pilot in command; 80 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 15, 2006
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 6 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3WN4 New London WI at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 3WN4 New London WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,400 ft by 250 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from PCZ, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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 CHI08LA297.