# Incident 19990704018969I: Galaxy GALAXY8, Jefferson City, MO, July 4, 1999

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 4, 1999, 19:58 local time
- Place: Jefferson City, MO
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5767° N, 92.1735° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Jefferson City, MO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5767&lon=-92.1735&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5347S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5347S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Galaxy Balloons GALAXY 8 (registry code 3760525, https://openairdocs.org/model/galaxy-balloons-galaxy-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GALAXY GALAXY8
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,600 total, 170 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990704018969I

## Narrative

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

(-5)ON JULY 4, 1999, MR. GARY D. SINES OPERATED GALAXY BALLOONS, GALAXY 8, N5347S, AS PILOT IN COMMAND AT THE ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY BALLOON ASCENSION ON THE GROUNDS OF THE STATED CAPITOL AT JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI. AT APPROXIMATLEY 1958 CDT, DURING THE INITIAL PHASE OF TAKEOFF, THE BALLOON ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE ORMANENTAL EAGLE FIXTURE ON THE TOP OF THE MAIN FLAGPOLE AT A POINT JUST BELOW THE BALLOON'S EQUATOR.  AS THE BALLOON ASCENDED, THE FABRIC OF SEVERAL PANELS WERE RIPPED DOWNWARD TO THE SKIRT OF THE BALLOON.  THE TOP OF THE FLAGPOLE HOOKED THE LOWER PORTION OF THE BALLOON'S ENVELOPE, CAUSING THE BALLOON BASKET AND ITS OCCUPANT TO BE SUSPENDED NEAR THE TOP OF THE FLAGPOLE FOR NEARLY FIVE MINUTES.  MR. SINES TIED THE BASKET TO THE FLAGPOLE WITH A ROPE, AND AS THE ENVELOPE COOLED, IT SLID DOWN THE FLAGPOLE.  MR. SINES AND HIS PASSENGERS WERE RESCUED BY PERSONNEL FROM THE CAPITOL POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

## Other reports on N5347S (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19961103040669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961103040669A), Nov 3, 1996: Galaxy GALAXY8 (N5347S), Columbia, MO. Struck a ditch hidden by weeds landing. Impact caused broken arms to two passenger.
- [Incident 19950825037429I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950825037429I), Aug 25, 1995: Galaxy GALAXY8 (N5347S), Columbia, MO. Struck wires landing in a field. Caused arcing and wire break.

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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