20041003024049A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Balbau NL1000STU · Chama, NM · October 3, 2004

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Date: October 3, 2004 · 09:20 local
Place: Chama, NM
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: DOYES
Reported as: Balbau NL1000STU
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,200 total301 in this make and model7 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) Aircraft was a registered participant in the abq balloon fiesta and on an "endurance competition flight." At approx. 12,000 ft the aircraft was struck by lightning which initiated failures in load tapes and gores of the envelope. There was corresponding "welding" or fusing of most metal to metal points of contact throughout the aircraft. The anti collision light system was completely vaporized and several support cables nearly completely arced through. The basket had corresponding burn marks in areas adjacent to cabling. Damage to the basket included large amounts of broken wicker which appeared to be from impact at a substantial rate of descent. Both occupants sustained broken limbs. Repair costs to the entire aircraft were estimated to exceed the replacement value of the entire system and thus deemed destroyed. Repair station evaluating this damage also had very serious "safety reservations" in any attempt to return this system to service.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS A REGISTERED PARTICIPANT IN THE ABQ BALLOON FIESTA AND ON AN "ENDURANCE COMPETITION FLIGHT." AT APPROX. 12,000 FT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHICH INITIATED FAILURES IN LOAD TAPES AND GORES OF THE ENVELOPE. THERE WAS CORRESPONDING "WELDING" OR FUSING OF MOST METAL TO METAL POINTS OF CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE AIRCRAFT. THE ANTI COLLISION LIGHT SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY VAPORIZED AND SEVERAL SUPPORT CABLES NEARLY COMPLETELY ARCED THROUGH. THE BASKET HAD CORRESPONDING BURN MARKS IN AREAS ADJACENT TO CABLING. DAMAGE TO THE BASKET INCLUDED LARGE AMOUNTS OF BROKEN WICKER WHICH APPEARED TO BE FROM IMPACT AT A SUBSTANTIAL RATE OF DESCENT. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED BROKEN LIMBS. REPAIR COSTS TO THE ENTIRE AIRCRAFT WERE ESTIMATED TO EXCEED THE REPLACEMENT VALUE OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND THUS DEEMED DESTROYED. REPAIR STATION EVALUATING THIS DAMAGE ALSO HAD VERY SERIOUS "SAFETY RESERVATIONS" IN ANY ATTEMPT TO RETURN THIS SYSTEM TO SERVICE.