Pilot experienced LiPo battery fire at 1200 feet during cross-country flight. Motor broke away from harness top and swung down. Pilot grabbed risers and spiraled down to emergency landing while sustaining burns. Hard landing on left shoulder but walked away with 2nd degree burns.
Hardware failure
Maximum — exactly determined
Saturday morning cross country flight from Dunnellon Airport to Crystal River and back, checking out boats during first day of scalloping season. At 1200 feet over Rainbow River, pilot noticed back getting hot and discovered motor on fire. LiPo battery started the fire. Turned east toward field south of Dunnellon High School. Turned off motor after clearing tree line but flames continued. Motor broke away from top of harness and swung down. Pilot got arms out of harness and grabbed risers to escape flames. Spiraled down as fast as possible while arms and back were burning. Just before landing, turned to get close to road, grabbed for brakes but missed left one. Hit ground hard with left shoulder. Got up, collected wing, and walked 200 yards to road. EMTs arrived quickly as someone on ground called 911 before landing.
LiPo battery fire initiated in-flight hardware failure. Motor separated from harness attachment point due to fire damage.
Not deployed
field
Mostly correct inputs while reacting
2nd degree burns on back and arms. Hard landing on left shoulder. Hospitalized 2 nights at Shands Burn Trauma Unit in Gainesville, FL. Released Monday at noon.
July 3, 2015
United States
Dunnellon
Nirvana Rodeo
Dudek
Nucleon 27 WRC
366 m
Age: 57, Weight: 185 lbs
Saturday morning I went for a cross country flight from Dunnellon Airport To Crystal River and back. Wanted to check out all the boats going scalloping, for the first day of the season. Almost back to the airport. Flying at 1200 feet over the Rainbow river. I notice my back getting hot. Turn to see my motor on fire. Lipo battery stated the fire. turn east and headed to a field just south of the Dunnellon high school. Turn off the motor once I cleared the tree line. That didn't help the flames. Motor broke away from the top of my harness and swung down. I got my arms out of the harness and grabbed onto the risers to try to get away from the flames. Spiraled down as fast all I could. Arms and back burning. Just before landing turned and tried to get close to the road as possible. Grabbed for my brakes put missed the left one. Hit the ground hard with my left shoulder. Got up, got my wing and walked away from the burning motor. walk about 200 yards to the road. EMTs arrived quickly because some one on the ground call 911 before I landed. I was transport to Shands burn trauma unit in Gainesville Fl. Stayed 2 nights in Shands and was released Monday at noon with 2nd degree burns on my back and arms. returned to the site Tuesday evening after the sheriff released the site to get my wing. My swing arms and a small piece of my harness where still attached to the wing. after looking at that, there is no way I should be alive. I should have fallen from the sky. God had his hand on my life. I'm a walking miracle. My new name is Fireball.