Ultralight
Flight Crew Student
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 350; Flight Crew Type 350
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Human Factors
The pilot is a recreational acrobatic paramotor pilot; he trains several times a week. He launches from his yard; which used to be a horse farm. The pilot flies up to 3;000 feet and turns off his motor to begin his acrobatic run. Per his standard procedure; he attempts to turn the motor back on just so he isn't surprised when he stops the acrobatic run at 1;000 feet and it doesn't turn back on. He has a few options with that much altitude; but his own yard is the best one. The construction site isn't graded yet and has knee jamming holes and mounds to deal with. The fields by the river are prone to being swampy and it's impossible to assess their condition up high. Other fields are very small when you consider that they are sliced into pieces by power lines. The power lines are tricky to see just before sunset. The pilots feels that making it to the preferred LZ [landing zone] is safe if the pilot flies over a subdivision (congestion). It's a 'maybe' if he adds to his distance by flying around houses. The pilot decides to glide over the houses to shorten his distance back to his safe LZ. The plan works; the pilot lands safely; no people or property were harmed.
Ultralight aircraft pilot reported their motor failed and they flew too low over a populated area while gliding to land.