Kite String May Have Caused Fatal Crash

Authorities in India are investigating whether a kite string caused the crash of a powered parachute, killing the pilot and injuring his passenger.

Authorities in India are investigating whether a kite string caused the crash of a powered parachute, killing the pilot and injuring his passenger. Various Indian media are reporting that Manav Mewada, an experienced powered parachute pilot, was operating a commercial sightseeing flight when the engine failed and the aircraft crashed in a residential area. Police are investigating whether the engine was fouled by the kite string, leading to the crash. Numerous kites were reportedly being flown in the area. Meanwhile, authorities in the U.K. say a Citation V operating out of London City Center Airport narrowly avoided a cluster of helium-filled balloons on its climb out at 2,300 feet.

About 20 balloons, up to 10 feet across, drifted into the aircraft's path and the pilot had to take manual control to evade them, according to a report made by the flight crew to the UK Airprox Board, a voluntary conflict-reporting program. The pilot missed the balloons by about 30 feet horizontally and six feet vertically. The board concluded the balloons would have gotten the worst of the collision and that it was "providence" that allowed them to continue to potentially startle aircrews.