Buckeye Dream Machine accident near Lexington, Kentucky, October 5, 2008
On October 5, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Buckeye Dream Machine (powered parachute), registered N75331, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Lexington, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper decision to continue the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Buckeye Dream Machine · all Dream Machines on the register
- Registration
- N75331 · registry record · serial 3821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff from an unimproved grass field, the student pilot of the experimental light sport aircraft powered parachute noticed the right end of the parachute was not fully inflated. He checked the left side of the parachute and it appeared to be fully inflated. When he looked back at the right side a second time, the parachute appeared to be "opened and centered." As he continued his takeoff roll, the student pilot realized he was approaching a shallow ditch and attempted to lift-off. The powered parachute then became airborne. The right main landing gear tire contacted the top of a power line. The power line broke and the aircraft was thrown forward. The buggy, housing the student pilot, oscillated under the parachute as it approached a second set of power lines. The powered-parachute contacted the second set of power lines and the buggy impacted trees approximately 10 feet above the ground, substantially damaging the buggy support bars, the frame, and the suspension lines to the parachute. The student pilot further stated that the powered parachute had no deficiencies during the takeoff and that, "I made a bad decision on the takeoff."
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 initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 26 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 86.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2007
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lexington KY
- Destination: Lexington KY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from LEX, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 N75331 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA09CA003.