20030620013629I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Amtr AX10 · High Point, NC · June 20, 2003

Date: June 20, 2003 · 20:16 local
Place: High Point, NC
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N5129B
Reported as: Amtr AX10
People aboard: 10
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,450 total183 in this make and model10 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.

(-23) After proper wx analysis and pre-flight planning, balloon N-5129 departed cash elementary school, kernersville, NC and proceeded sse towards High Point, NC. A large suitable landing site was intended; however, due to orograghic conditions and variable gusty winds the landing could not be completed. A burn was initiated; however, one burner & pilot light went out. A successful restart was accomplished. The response delay allowed the gondolla to contact the top of an apartment house. After another attempted landing & an abort, a small area was determined to be the only suitable landing site due to pending darkness and minimum fuel. A landing was accomplished with no injuries to pilot and pax. Minor non-structural damage was done to the lower panels of the envelope. This has been repaired. Burners ok.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER PROPER WX ANALYSIS AND PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING, BALLOON N-5129 DEPARTED CASH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, KERNERSVILLE, NC AND PROCEEDED SSE TOWARDS HIGH POINT, NC. A LARGE SUITABLE LANDING SITE WAS INTENDED; HOWEVER, DUE TO OROGRAGHIC CONDITIONS AND VARIABLE GUSTY WINDS THE LANDING COULD NOT BE COMPLETED. A BURN WAS INITIATED; HOWEVER, ONE BURNER & PILOT LIGHT WENT OUT. A SUCCESSFUL RESTART WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE RESPONSE DELAY ALLOWED THE GONDOLLA TO CONTACT THE TOP OF AN APARTMENT HOUSE. AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPTED LANDING & AN ABORT, A SMALL AREA WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE ONLY SUITABLE LANDING SITE DUE TO PENDING DARKNESS AND MINIMUM FUEL. A LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO INJURIES TO PILOT AND PAX. MINOR NON-STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE LOWER PANELS OF THE ENVELOPE. THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED. BURNERS OK.