Buckeye 582 DREAM MACHINE accident near North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, September 29, 2012
On September 29, 2012 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Buckeye 582 DREAM MACHINE (powered parachute), registered N7508D, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The operation of a powered parachute by a noncertificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the climb following an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2012 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Buckeye 582 DREAM MACHINE · all 582 DREAM MACHINEs on the register
- Registration
- N7508D · no longer on the register · serial 4680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated pilot was attempting to land a powered parachute in a field bordered on one side by trees and a residence on the other. Following two unsuccessful landing attempts, the pilot aborted a third landing attempt about 20 feet above the ground. During the climb, the powered parachute drifted to the right toward the trees. The pilot was unable to stop the drift with application of full left pedal and struck a tree. The pilot then increased the engine power to full, but the powered parachute continued to descend and impacted another tree. The parachute subsequently caught one of the tree limbs and fell straight down. The powered parachute impacted the ground on all three wheels, resulting in substantial damage to the undercarriage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and stated that he should not have tried to land without the aid of a windsock and indicated wind direction.
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 defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 214 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 8, 2008
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: West Newton PA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: West Newton PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KAGC, 9 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.
Other NTSB records under N7508D 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.