20081010852639A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Sproul 72K-TET · Bernalillo, NM · October 10, 2008

Date: October 10, 2008 · 07:53 local
Place: Bernalillo, NM
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N72KX
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09LA009
Reported as: Sproul 72KTET
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 715 total83 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N72KXRegistered now · Sproul Keith A 72K-TETS/N S-003 · Built 2004 Airframe modelSproul Keith A 72K-TET 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.

On October 10, 2008 at 0753 MDT an experimental amature built balloon, N72KX, was destroyed by fire when it came in contanct with electrical power lines. The pilot sustained very serious injuries and the passenger was fatally injured. When the gondola of the balloon came into contact with electrical power lines at least one propane fuel line was severed. The metal framework of the gondola created an arc with the power lines. The wicker of the gondola became engulfed in flames. The pilot and the passenger fell, jumped or were expelled from the gondola. As the wicker of the gondola burned away, the envelope and the remaining components of the gondola separated from the power lines and drifted away with the wind.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 10, 2008 AT 0753 MDT AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATURE BUILT BALLOON, N72KX, WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE WHEN IT CAME IN CONTANCT WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. THE PILOT SUSTAINED VERY SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. WHEN THE GONDOLA OF THE BALLOON CAME INTO CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES AT LEAST ONE PROPANE FUEL LINE WAS SEVERED. THE METAL FRAMEWORK OF THE GONDOLA CREATED AN ARC WITH THE POWER LINES. THE WICKER OF THE GONDOLA BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER FELL, JUMPED OR WERE EXPELLED FROM THE GONDOLA. AS THE WICKER OF THE GONDOLA BURNED AWAY, THE ENVELOPE AND THE REMAINING COMPONENTS OF THE GONDOLA SEPARATED FROM THE POWER LINES AND DRIFTED AWAY WITH THE WIND.

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 CEN09LA009Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportRio Rancho, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines and the failure of either pilot to take any corrective action to avoid the collision.Oct 10, 2008 · Destroyed

Other reports on N72KX · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20071009022699ADescent · Rio Rancho, NM(-23) On October 9, 2007, at approximately 0830 local time, the pilot of N72KX, a Sproul model 72K-TET balloon, serial number S-003, made a hard landing near the intersection of loma vista and high resort in Rio Rancho, new Mexico. The pilot reported that he…Oct 9, 2007 · Minor damage