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19960819028019I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Balwks FIREFLY11 · Auburn, ME · August 19, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 19, 1996 · 18:50 local
Place
Auburn, ME
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N6230V
Reported as
Balwks FIREFLY11
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
17 total17 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: NE comm. Center notified this inspector at approximately 1935 on 08-19-96, by telephone call at home (pwm) residence. Conference call then set up with Auburn police department. I was advised that the balloon was packed up and departed the scene and the report would be faxed to the pwm FSDO on 08-20-96. Shortly after lift-off from an area near great falls plaza (great falls and turner streets), the balloon contacted a light fixture/pole, causing a 4' (foot) tear in the envelope below the equator. The pilot continued to ascend in order to land at a more suitable landing area. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a field near 735, garfield road. The balloon was then deflated, folded up land loaded by the "chase crew" and other personnel. The Auburn police report indicates more than one officer on scene with information and united ambulance service. Injuries listed required no services. Mr. Poulin received his private pilot certificate on 08-14-96. Mr. Tom hancock, a hot air balloon examiner verified this per a telephone conversation on 08-20-96. Incident report completed 08-20-96.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: NE COMM. CENTER NOTIFIED THIS INSPECTOR AT APPROXIMATELY 1935 ON 08-19-96, BY TELEPHONE CALL AT HOME (PWM) RESIDENCE. CONFERENCE CALL THEN SET UP WITH AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE BALLOON WAS PACKED UP AND DEPARTED THE SCENE AND THE REPORT WOULD BE FAXED TO THE PWM FSDO ON 08-20-96. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF FROM AN AREA NEAR GREAT FALLS PLAZA (GREAT FALLS AND TURNER STREETS), THE BALLOON CONTACTED A LIGHT FIXTURE/POLE, CAUSING A 4' (FOOT) TEAR IN THE ENVELOPE BELOW THE EQUATOR. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO ASCEND IN ORDER TO LAND AT A MORE SUITABLE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR 735, GARFIELD ROAD. THE BALLOON WAS THEN DEFLATED, FOLDED UP LAND LOADED BY THE "CHASE CREW" AND OTHER PERSONNEL. THE AUBURN POLICE REPORT INDICATES MORE THAN ONE OFFICER ON SCENE WITH INFORMATION AND UNITED AMBULANCE SERVICE. INJURIES LISTED REQUIRED NO SERVICES. MR. POULIN RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ON 08-14-96. MR. TOM HANCOCK, A HOT AIR BALLOON EXAMINER VERIFIED THIS PER A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION ON 08-20-96. INCIDENT REPORT COMPLETED 08-20-96.