Amateur-built SKY WRITER 2 accident near Hamburg, New York, July 2, 2012
On July 2, 2012 at about 10:50 am local time, a amateur-built SKY WRITER 2 (powered parachute), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hamburg, New York (Hamburg Inc. Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The operation of a powered parachute by a non-certificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the non-certificated pilot’s loss of aircraft control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2012 · about 10:50 am local time
- Place
- Hamburg, New York · Hamburg Inc. Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKY WRITER 2
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 97-1727-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot stated that he purchased the unregistered powered parachute on the internet. He stated that he practiced taxiing in the grass beside the runway at a private airport for 15 to 20 minutes at a time and that he would occasionally fly the powered parachute about 5 feet off of the ground and set it back down in the grass. No one witnessed the accident, and the powered parachute was found in the grass beside the runway partially inverted with the pilot inside. The pilot reported to the responding local law enforcement officer that he was attempting to land the aircraft and did not know what had caused the crash. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the undercarriage frame and engine mounts. The pilot did not keep a pilot log book, had received no flight training, and stated that he had not experienced any mechanical issues with the powered parachute.
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 control in flight during landing defining event
- Roll over during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4G2 Hamburg NY
- Destination: 4G2 Hamburg NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KBUF, 16 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 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.