# Incident 20160520006309I: Gefa-Flug Gmbh GEFA-FLUG AS 105GD, Philadelphia, PA, May 20, 2016 - Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 20, 2016, 16:40 local time - Place: Philadelphia, PA - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.9523° N, 75.1638° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Philadelphia, PA, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9523&lon=-75.1638&mi=10 - Aircraft: G-MRME (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: GEFA-FLUG GMBH GEFA-FLUG AS 105GD - Reported engine: ROTAX 582UL - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 585 total - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160520006309I ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. PILOT: WITH INSTRUMENT- AIRPLANE, AIRPLANE MULTI ENGINE LAND, LIGHTER THAN AIR- BALLOON RATING, MADE AN UNPLANNED /PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON MAY 20, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 1840 HRS. EDT. WHILE FLYING A U.K REGISTERED, GEFA-FLUG GMBH AS 105 GD, THERMAL AIRSHIP REGISTERED AS G- MRME. ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE: PILOT: AND AIR SIGN COMPANY EMPLOYEE, THERE WERE NO REPORTED DEATHS OR INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INCIDENT TO PERSONS ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT OR ON THE GROUND. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS NO REPORTED DAMAGE TO PROPERTY ON THE GROUND. DAMAGE TO THE AIRSHIP (AT THIS TIME) IS CONSIDERED MINOR. THIS DETERMINATION WAS MADE AFTER CONSULTATION WITH FAA ORDER 8900.1, VOLUME 7, CHAPTER 1, SECTION 1, PARAGRAPH 7-4 (A) (4) AND CONSIDERATION OF ALL ASPECTS AND EXCEPTION LISTED HEREIN. THE FLIGHT WAS FOR ADVERTISING OPERATIONS AND THE TARGET WAS NORTH OF THE BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE. THE AIRSHIP HAD 3.5- 4 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD DEPENDING ON CONDITIONS AND THE FLIGHT WAS PLANNED FOR BETWEEN 1,000 AND 1,200 FEET AND TO STAY BELOW THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF 1,500 FEET AND TO STAY NORTH OF THE TFR FOR THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BASEBALL GAME HAPPENING THAT EVENING, AT THE CITIZENS BANK PARK . THE PILOT CALLED KPHL TOWER ON 215-492-4100 AT 3:21 PM AND SPOKE TO A CONTROLLER. HE GAVE HIS NAME, CALL SIGN, LAUNCH LOCATION, FLIGHT TIME AND INTENTIONS. AT THAT, THE PILOT NOTIFIED ATC THAT HE WOULD STAY NORTH OF THE BRIDGE, BELOW THE CLASS B (BRAVO) AIRSPACE AND CLEAR OF THE TFR. HE INFORMED ATC THAT HE WOULD RADIO THEM ON APPROACH CONTROL FREQUENCY 125.40, ONCE HE HAD A CONFIRMED ALTITUDE AND JUST AFTER LAUNCH. AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT PILOT: RADIOED THE TOWER AND WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE OF 0230, RADAR CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION WAS ESTABLISHED. THE AIRSHIP ARRIVED ON STATION NORTH OF THE BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE; THE WIND WAS ABOUT 300° AT 7 KTS AT ABOUT 18:30 EDT, THE AIRSHIP?S ROTAX ENGINE SHUT DOWN, TREVOR NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS OVER TEMPED. NOTE: THE ROTAX ENGINE PROVIDES FORWARD PROPULSION AND PRESSURIZES THE CONTROL SURFACES SO WITHOUT THE ROTAX HE WAS NOW OPERATING SOLELY AS A HOT AIR BALLOON AND ONLY HAS VERTICAL CONTROL, USING THE TWO ON-BOARD LP BURNERS. THE WIND DIRECTION WAS NOW TAKING THE AIRSHIP AWAY FROM PHILADELPHIA AND THE TFR TO THE NORTH WEST. AT THIS POINT, PILOT: DECIDED BASED ON THE SPEED OF THE AIRSHIP AND ENGINE FAILURES, TO ABANDON HIS ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE SALVATION ARMY KROC CENTER (SOCCER FIELDS) AND DECIDED TO USE THE WIND TO HIS ADVANTAGE, AND TO LAND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. PILOT: DECIDED TO COMMIT TO THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND OPENED THE SLIDE OVERHEAD TO RELEASE HOT AIR AND TO ACCELERATE THE DECENT. AT THIS POINT, THE WIND CAUGHT THE ENVELOPE AND CAUSED THE GONDOLA TO BE DRAGGED ACROSS THE ROAD AND AGAINST A CONSTRUCTION CONCRETE BARRIER. PILOT: TREVOR THOMPSON REMAINED IN THE GONDOLA HOLDING THE VENT LINE OPEN, AS THE AIRSHIP WAS THEN BLOWN OVER THE CONCRETE BARRIER CAUSING THE GONDOLA TO FALL ON ITS SIDE, AND CAME TO REST 15 FEET FROM THE BARRIER IN A CONSTRUCTION STAGING AREA. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.