20030615014299A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Adams A55 · Albuquerque, NM · June 15, 2003

Date: June 15, 2003 · 08:35 local
Place: Albuquerque, NM
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4031Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA105
Reported as: Adams A55
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 265 total265 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N4031ZRegistration cancelled Apr 13, 2017 · Adams Balloon A55S/N 155 · Built 1985 Airframe modelAdams Balloon A55 Engine modelNONENone

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 approach for landing balloon crossed over a paved parking lot. The heat being radiated created a thermal which caused the envelope and basket to begin rotating. The significant outside air temperature rise around the envelope exaggerated the descent and created an environment which the pilot could not generate sufficient heat to climb the balloon away using the acft's burners. The envelope contacted electrical wires and initiated a post impact fire in the envelope.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING APPROACH FOR LANDING BALLOON CROSSED OVER A PAVED PARKING LOT. THE HEAT BEING RADIATED CREATED A THERMAL WHICH CAUSED THE ENVELOPE AND BASKET TO BEGIN ROTATING. THE SIGNIFICANT OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE RISE AROUND THE ENVELOPE EXAGGERATED THE DESCENT AND CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH THE PILOT COULD NOT GENERATE SUFFICIENT HEAT TO CLIMB THE BALLOON AWAY USING THE ACFT'S BURNERS. THE ENVELOPE CONTACTED ELECTRICAL WIRES AND INITIATED A POST IMPACT FIRE IN THE ENVELOPE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN03LA105Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMthe pilot's improper planned approach for a landing and obstacle clearance not maintained. A contributing factor was the power lines.Jun 15, 2003 · Destroyed