FARGO, ND, USA
UNREG
EIPPER QUICKSILVER E
THE NON-RATED PLT HAD TAKEN GROUND & DUAL FLT INSTRUCTION IN ULTRALIGHT FLYING & HAD SOLOED EARLIER THAT DAY. HE THEN TOOK OFF & FLEW EAST, AWAY FROM THE DESIGNATED ULTRALIGHT TRAINING AREA. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES DRIVING EAST ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SAW THE PLT FLYING WESTBOUND AT LOW ALTITUDE. TWO WITNESSES SAID THE PLT WAVED AT THEM AS HE FLEW BY. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THEY NOTICED A SHOWER OF SPARKS TO THEIR REAR. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE. THE ULTRALIGHT REMAINED ENTANGLED IN THE WIRES FOR AN ESTIMATED 35 TO 45 SECONDS. IT BEGAN BURNING BEFORE IT FELL TO THE GROUND. REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS A 'SMALL EXPLOSION' WHEN THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK WAS MELTED BY THE FIRE. THE PLT WAS BURNED OVER 57% OF HIS BODY WITH 3RD DEGREE BURNS, BUT SURVIVED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 2 TO 3 MIN AFTER SUNSET.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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