LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The NTSB is investigating Sunday night’s crash in Nicholasville that killed a married couple. In a social media post, the agency says the aircraft is a Buckeye Dream Machine.
The vehicle is a powered parachute, and it fits into the ultralight vehicle category.
“It’s not an airplane with fixed wings,” said Matt Bunch. “It’s got a parachute above it with a powered engine attached to a tricycle gear.”
Bunch is a pilot and lawyer who flies his own experimental airplane. As a member of the aviation community, he knows what it’s like to lose a friend when an aircraft goes down.
“I’ve been to two funerals of friends of mine that live locally here in Lexington and I have flown one of them in my experimental airplane,” he said. “It is heartbreaking to go to funerals because we are participating and flying in an industry that is very unforgiving.”
Ultralight vehicles like the Buckeye Dream Machine have fewer regulations than actual aircraft. Bunch explained it’s due to the light weight of the vehicle class.
“It’s 254 pounds empty weight with a maximum of 5 gallons of fuel,” Bunch said of the weight requirements. “As long as the plane takes off or lands at 28 miles an hour with a maximum speed of 66 miles an hour then the FAA regulations are a lot less rigorous.”
Because of the slower speeds and light weight, these types of vehicles are not built for long-distance travels. Less regulations, however, does not mean ultralights are less safe.
“It just means that the FAA has designated ultralight to be free from inspections and governmental controls and regulations as long as it meet certain requirements,” Bunch said.
While the crash scene has been cleared, local pilots won’t soon forget this tragedy.
“Our entire community aviation community send out our hearts, thoughts and prayers and love the family that lost this couple,” said Bunch.
