Buckeye DREAM MACHINE accident near Russellville, Tennessee, June 4, 2011
On June 4, 2011 at about 7:46 pm local time, a Buckeye DREAM MACHINE (powered parachute), registered N3561F, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Russellville, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to switch fuel tanks when the fuel was exhausted, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2011 · about 7:46 pm local time
- Place
- Russellville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Buckeye DREAM MACHINE · all DREAM MACHINEs on the register
- Registration
- N3561F · no longer on the register · serial 3449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The powered parachute collided with and remained suspended in trees. After responding, police officers and the pilot's son spoke to the pilot for about two to three minutes before the aircraft broke out of the treetops and fell to the ground. During the brief conversation between the pilot, his son, and the officers, the purpose of the flight and the circumstances of the collision with trees were not discussed. According to his son, the pilot reported, “The darn thing just quit.” The pilot subsequently died from his injuries and was not interviewed. Examination of the airframe at the scene revealed substantial damage to the airframe tubing and an estimated 5 gallons of fuel remaining in the 8-gallon fuel tank. Further examination revealed that the pilot had installed an auxiliary fuel line and shutoff valve, which was open, that connected to a 5-gallon gas can in the back seat; the gas can was empty. After the airframe examination, the engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. According to the son of the pilot/owner, his father likely exhausted the fuel supply in the auxiliary fuel can, which starved the engine, and resulted in a total loss of engine power.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Ground collision during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Flight time: 3 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOR Morristown TN at 6:49 pm
- Destination: MOR Morristown TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TYS, 37 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.
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.