Pilot sustained severe hand injuries when throttle was pressed against ground during ground-start, causing unexpected power surge and propeller strike
Ground Starting
Maximum — exactly determined
On Saturday, October 7th, 2023, a veteran paramotor pilot suffered significant injuries while attempting a ground-start. The pilot ground-started his paramotor, but the throttle was inadvertently pressed against the ground, causing an unexpected surge in power. This sudden thrust propelled his paramotor forward, causing his hands to come into contact with the propeller, resulting in a severed right thumb tip and a deep gash on his left hand. The impact shattered the propeller, and a fragment struck his chest, fortunately shielded by his phone which was stowed on his chest harness. This debris could have easily hit critical areas like his face or neck. The future functionality of his left thumb remains uncertain due to the depth of the injury.
Ground-starting with throttle inadvertently pressed against ground, causing unexpected power surge
Not deployed
Wrong input triggered incident
Severed right thumb tip, deep gash on left hand with uncertain future functionality of left thumb
October 7, 2023
08:30:00
United States
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
Footlaunch
60 years old, male, 185 lbs, Advanced PPG 3 rating, 50+ hours experience
On Saturday, October 7th, 2023, a severe accident took place in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, where a veteran paramotor pilot suffered significant injuries while attempting a ground-start. As is common practice among the Puerto Rican paramotoring community, the pilot ground-started his paramotor. However, the throttle was inadvertently pressed against the ground, causing an unexpected surge in power. This sudden thrust propelled his paramotor forward, causing his hands to come into contact with the propeller, resulting in a severed right thumb tip and a deep gash on his left hand. The impact shattered the propeller, and a fragment struck his chest, fortunately shielded by his phone which was stowed on his chest harness. This debris could have easily hit critical areas like his face or neck. The future functionality of his left thumb remains uncertain due to the depth of the injury. Alarmingly, many in the local paramotoring community continue to downplay the dangers of ground-starting, often emphasizing details like the throttle's position. However, the inherent risks of ground-starting cannot be overstated.