# Accident 19970803020359A: Avianw MAGNUMIX, Donald, OR, August 3, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 3, 1997, 07:05 local time
- Place: Donald, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.2206° N, 122.8294° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2206&lon=-122.8294&mi=10
- Aircraft: N20146, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20146-2013-11-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Avian Balloon MAGNUM IX (registry code 0900110, https://openairdocs.org/model/avian-balloon-magnum-ix) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AVIANW MAGNUMIX
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,000 total, 240 in this make and model, 58 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97FA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA181) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970803020359A

## Narrative

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

BALLOON LANDING TO REFUEL, HIT A TREE, SPILLED OCCUPANTS ONTO GROUND, THEN CRASHED. (.4)WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE EDGE OF AN OPEN FIELD UNDER NEAR-CALM CONDITIONS, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE BALLOON TO SETTLE INTO THE TOP OF A CONIFEROUS TREE. AS THE BALLOON SETTLED INTO THE TREE, THE GONDOLA TIPPED TO THE SIDE AND THE NOMEX PANEL AND HORIZONTAL LOAD TAPE AROUND THE MOUTH OF THE ENVELOPE BECAME SNAGGED IN THE TREE. AS THE GONDOLA TIPPED, THE SEAMS ON APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE VERTICAL LOAD TAPES WERE EXPOSED TO BURNER HEAT HOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE FAILURE OF THE SEAM THREAD, AND THE REMAINDER OF THE VERTICAL LOAD TAPE SEAMS FAILED AS THE BALLOON AND THE GONDOLA PULLED AGAINST THE SNAGGED HORIZONTAL LOAD TAPE. WHEN THE LAST VERTICAL LOAD TAPE FAILED, THE  GONDOLA SEPARATED FROM THE ENVELOPE. AFTER  SEPARATING  FROM THE ENVELOPE, THE GONDOLA FELL THROUGH THE TREE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.

## 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 SEA97FA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA181), Aug 3, 1997: Avian Magnum IX (N20146), Donald, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree that was located on the edge of the field in which he was attempting to land.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.