# Accident 19890716022389A: Picard AX6, Houston, TX, July 16, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 16, 1989, 08:58 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.7633° N, 95.3633° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Houston, TX, within about 14 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7633&lon=-95.3633&mi=10
- Aircraft: N85DP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N85DP-2017-07-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piccard AX-6 (registry code 7001218, https://openairdocs.org/model/piccard-ax-6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PICARD AX6
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 24 total, 24 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW89FA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW89FA136) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890716022389A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STRUCK A POWER POLE AND WIRES. BASKET FELL TO GROUND IN FLAMES. BALLOON DRIFTED ON.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW89FA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW89FA136), Jul 16, 1989: Piccard AX-6 (N85DP), Houston, TX, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE POOR CONDITION OF THE BALLOON ENVELOPE AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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