Powrachute AIRWOLF accident near Gold Canyon, Arizona, January 18, 2020
On January 18, 2020 at about 4:05 pm local time, a 2004 Powrachute AIRWOLF (powered parachute), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N260AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Gold Canyon, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted takeoff, which resulted in collision with a barricade.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2020 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Gold Canyon, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Powrachute AIRWOLF 912, built 2004, amateur-built · all AIRWOLFs on the register
- Registration
- N260AZ · registry record · serial A-053-ULS
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, during the takeoff roll in the powered parachute, the parachute "did not come up straight but to the side," so he aborted the takeoff. He reduced the throttle, but the powered parachute didn't slow down, and it pulled to the side of the runway. He tried applying brakes, but the front brake was on gravel and got locked up and would not turn the powered parachute, which then slid forward and hit a barricade. The steering bar and frame sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered parachute that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wall/barricade › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: powered-lift
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 550 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 290 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 2019
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax URL912 (piston); 290 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gold Canyon AZ
- Destination: Gold Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 32.27 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from IWA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR20CA070.