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20080926850719I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Thundr AX8-90 S 2 · Prosser, WA · September 26, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 26, 2008
Place
Prosser, WA
Airport
Prosser
Phase of flight
Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N794TC
Reported as
Thundr AX890S2
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
375 total330 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days
N794TCRegistered now · Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX8-90 S 2S/N 2452USA · Built 1994Airframe modelThunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX8-90 S 2Engine 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) privacy data omitted acting as pilot in command of N749TC lta balloon, took off from the Prosser Airport (S90) at 7:15AM. The winds were out of the west at 1MPH and the ceiling unlimited. After flying approximately 40 minutes he began looking for landing sites which he indicated were limited due to the increased wind speed out of the west at 6-7MPH. privacy data omitted Set up for a landing in an open field. However, do to the increased wind, a short field and obstacles located at the end, he aborted the landing site and began looking for another field. Upon selecting another field he started his approach and descent. He noted a line of trees that ran from north to south of the field. He estimated his drift at 6.5 mph and heading east. As he cleared the row of trees, there appeared an access road and powerlines. privacy data omitted Did not see the powerlines until he had cleared the tree line. He immediately added heat to the balloon in an attempt to stop the descent. The bottom of the balloon basket made contact with the upper most powerline pulling on the powerline. The powerline broke and fell to the ground. privacy data omitted Landed safely in the field approximately 1/4 mile away. There was no fire or damge to the balloon.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF N749TC LTA BALLOON, TOOK OFF FROM THE PROSSER AIRPORT (S90) AT 7:15AM. THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE WEST AT 1MPH AND THE CEILING UNLIMITED. AFTER FLYING APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES HE BEGAN LOOKING FOR LANDING SITES WHICH HE INDICATED WERE LIMITED DUE TO THE INCREASED WIND SPEED OUT OF THE WEST AT 6-7MPH. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SET UP FOR A LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. HOWEVER, DO TO THE INCREASED WIND, A SHORT FIELD AND OBSTACLES LOCATED AT THE END, HE ABORTED THE LANDING SITE AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER FIELD. UPON SELECTING ANOTHER FIELD HE STARTED HIS APPROACH AND DESCENT. HE NOTED A LINE OF TREES THAT RAN FROM NORTH TO SOUTH OF THE FIELD. HE ESTIMATED HIS DRIFT AT 6.5 MPH AND HEADING EAST. AS HE CLEARED THE ROW OF TREES, THERE APPEARED AN ACCESS ROAD AND POWERLINES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DID NOT SEE THE POWERLINES UNTIL HE HAD CLEARED THE TREE LINE. HE IMMEDIATELY ADDED HEAT TO THE BALLOON IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE DESCENT. THE BOTTOM OF THE BALLOON BASKET MADE CONTACT WITH THE UPPER MOST POWERLINE PULLING ON THE POWERLINE. THE POWERLINE BROKE AND FELL TO THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LANDED SAFELY IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE AWAY. THERE WAS NO FIRE OR DAMGE TO THE BALLOON.