Well it finally happened. First time I've tipped over. I had just 
gotten my technique down for kiting the AX500, but that was on turf 
with a slight uphill grade. Friday evening we went to an airport that 
I used to fly from (two years ago). I tried to use less power because 
I knew I would roll faster. I also made sure I had my helmet and no 
passenger, just in case.

My timing was all 180 degrees out of phase. As the chute came up I 
was first underpowered (overcompensation) and as I increased power, 
the chute was dropping back down. Then it shot up really fast and in 
my mirror I could see it was not fully formed and was trying to tuck 
under. I quickly dropped to idle, but it was too late as the chute 
yanked me right off the runway. Then I dropped hard and bounced 
slightly crooked. I hoped that I would be able to stabilize my roll 
as I came down from the bounce. But the hard smack on the nose wheel 
(a little sideways) had broken the bolt that holds the fork on. So 
when I came down off the bounce, the wheel caved to the left and I 
went over onto the right side. 

Then the bad part. I thought I knew better than to put my foot out. I 
certainly wouldn't try to resist the roll that way, but as the 
pavement came toward me, it felt like I was going to be flung right 
into it. I've never been in a rollover in anything, so this was a new 
feeling. Of course the nice wide straps on the Destiny held me very 
nicely and I didn't get even a scratch or a bruise anywhere else, so 
I would have been 100% unharmed if not for the instant reaction of 
putting my foot out to catch myself. It touched the ground above the 
steering tube and got swept under. It might have been worse if not 
for the tiger bars which created some space between the tube and the 
asphalt. The machine skidded on its right side but didn't go all the 
way over. The tiger bar got sanded down some.

The chute landed on me and I realized the prop was still turning so I 
hit the mags, then unbuckled my belt. Almost instantly a couple of 
guys I didn't know came to my aid. They helped me up and I could tell 
my ankle was already starting to swell, but I didn't know it was 
broken. They helped me get the machine upright and off to the side of 
the runway. Then I limped around for a long time getting my chute 
bagged and figuring out how to trailer the machine with a broken nose 
wheel. 

The prop ring and prop were unscathed. Surprisingly little damage to 
the machine, but the fork itself bent before the bolt snapped, so I 
need a new fork. Also, I discovered a tear in the chute, but I don't 
know how it happened (it wasn't the prop). I'm going to send it to 
Mojo's for a completed inspection rather than limping around to check 
it further. 

By the time I got home, the foot was getting worse, so I went to get 
it xrayed just in case. Since the ankle was broken as well as 
sprained, I'm now on crutches for a while. All I could think about 
was that I'm grounded and now the weather is great.

I chalk it up to pilot error in kiting that cause the hard impact 
which broke the fork which caused the tip over. Then a second error 
(putting my foot out) that resulted in the injury. 

Good time to consider all options. Quit flying? (I ruled that out by 
the next morning.) Different chute? Different machine? Trike? 

Gary Fisher


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