Buckeye Aviation DREAM MACHINE accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, April 2, 2017
On April 2, 2017 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 2005 Buckeye Aviation DREAM MACHINE (powered parachute), registered N4017L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to maneuver the aircraft at low altitude, towards rising terrain, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2017 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Buckeye Aviation DREAM MACHINE NO SERIES, built 2005 · all DREAM MACHINEs on the register
- Registration
- N4017L · registry record · serial 16469
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot and the passenger were making a local flight in the powered parachute. The passenger, who survived the accident, reported that, about an hour into the flight, the pilot turned to the east toward the passenger's home. After overflying the passenger's home at low altitude, the pilot maneuvered the powered parachute to the east toward rising terrain and trees. The passenger's wife was outside her home at the time of the accident and noticed that the aircraft was flying low, and other witnesses also reported seeing the aircraft flying low before the accident. According to the passenger, the aircraft did not climb quickly enough to clear the trees; the landing gear struck about three trees; and the aircraft dropped into the woods striking tree limbs on the way down. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or anomaly, and the passenger reported that he did not notice any significant change in engine speed before the aircraft struck the trees. The engine ran satisfactorily when tested after the accident.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Decision related to condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 7, 2017
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 139 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582E (piston); 139 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: None Powell TN at 6:15 pm
- Destination: None Powell TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TYS, 8 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.
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 ERA17FA144.