Incident Details

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Minor
⚠️ Potentially Fatal
Flight

Low-altitude aerobatics near spectators at football game in Buckley, WA

Paramotor pilot performed dangerous low-altitude circles and dives during a high school football game, flying within feet of the ground and approximately 100 feet from a grandstand full of spectators.

Incident Details

Maximum — exactly determined

During a White River High School football game, a paramotor pilot circled and dove his paraglider to within feet of the ground and approximately 100 feet or less from a grandstand full of spectators. The pilot performed multiple low-level circles in an adjoining baseball field, then flew behind the football stand and performed numerous circles and dives at extremely low altitude before departing over surrounding trees. The pilot returned when it was dark and then departed again. Two paramotor pilots were initially heading toward the stadium, but only one performed the dangerous maneuvers.

Not deployed

Mostly wrong inputs while reacting

Date & Location

September 14, 2023

18:30:00

United States

Buckley, Washington

Equipment

Footlaunch

Contributing Factors

Low flight altitude
Performed maneuvers

Weather Conditions

2.2 m/s

Light Wind (1-5 mph)

Evening conditions, light and variable wind

Links & Media

The paramotor operator circled and dived his paraglider during White River High School football game in Buckley WA to within feet of the ground and 100 ft or less to a grand stand full of spectators. We were watching the game and 2 paramoter gliders were heading for the football stadium and when one of them reached the field he circled and dove towards the adjoining baseball field and did a couple of low level circles in the baseball field then he flew his glide behind the football stand full of spectators about 100 ft or so from the stand and did a number of circles and dives within feet of the ground and finally took off over the surrounding trees. He came back when it was dark and then headed away.

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