20020524014719I

Incident

FAA incident report · Amtr AX10 · Stokesdale, NC · May 24, 2002

Date: May 24, 2002 · 20:15 local
Place: Stokesdale, NC
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N5129B
Reported as: Amtr AX10
People aboard: 10
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,385 total138 in this make and model

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.

(-23) During landing phase of hot air balloon operation, pilot misjudged altitude in relation to the height of a privacy fence. The basket made contact with and broke down a fence. The pilot initiated a burn to attempt to lift over a house. The basket made contact with the top apex of the house and then landed 200 feet down wind. Nine passengers and one pilot onboard, no injuries to persons on board. No damage to balloon. About $100 damage to fence, which will be repaired by balloon operator.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING LANDING PHASE OF HOT AIR BALLOON OPERATION, PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE IN RELATION TO THE HEIGHT OF A PRIVACY FENCE. THE BASKET MADE CONTACT WITH AND BROKE DOWN A FENCE. THE PILOT INITIATED A BURN TO ATTEMPT TO LIFT OVER A HOUSE. THE BASKET MADE CONTACT WITH THE TOP APEX OF THE HOUSE AND THEN LANDED 200 FEET DOWN WIND. NINE PASSENGERS AND ONE PILOT ONBOARD, NO INJURIES TO PERSONS ON BOARD. NO DAMAGE TO BALLOON. ABOUT $100 DAMAGE TO FENCE, WHICH WILL BE REPAIRED BY BALLOON OPERATOR.