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20160715013789I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Aerostar International RX-7 · Jackson, MI · July 15, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 15, 2016 · 08:00 local
Place
Jackson, MI
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N36497
Reported as
Aerostar International RX-7
Reported engine
N/A N/A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
180 total180 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days
N36497Registered now · Aerostar International RX-7S/N RX7-3258Airframe modelAerostar International RX-7

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.

While descending to the east into a rising sun for landing in an open field the upper suspension framework of the balloon gondola struck and broke a residential electric service line.

Both the pilot and passenger stated that although they were actively scanning for obstructions during the approach neither saw the power line until just before it struck the gondola suspension frame work.

After striking and severing the electrical line the balloon continued and made a normal landing without further incident.

During an on site inspection of the landing area by the investigation inspector it was noted that the electrical wire was suspended across the field for a distance of approximately 200' by two utility poles which were obscured by trees bordering the field on the north and south sides.

Inspection of the gondola by a FSDO aw inspector indicated there was no apparent damage to the gondola or suspension lines other than a small burn mark on one turn buckle made by an apparent electrical arc.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE DESCENDING TO THE EAST INTO A RISING SUN FOR LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD THE UPPER SUSPENSION FRAMEWORK OF THE BALLOON GONDOLA STRUCK AND BROKE A RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC SERVICE LINE.

BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ACTIVELY SCANNING FOR OBSTRUCTIONS DURING THE APPROACH NEITHER SAW THE POWER LINE UNTIL JUST BEFORE IT STRUCK THE GONDOLA SUSPENSION FRAME WORK.

AFTER STRIKING AND SEVERING THE ELECTRICAL LINE THE BALLOON CONTINUED AND MADE A NORMAL LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

DURING AN ON SITE INSPECTION OF THE LANDING AREA BY THE INVESTIGATION INSPECTOR IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRE WAS SUSPENDED ACROSS THE FIELD FOR A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 200' BY TWO UTILITY POLES WHICH WERE OBSCURED BY TREES BORDERING THE FIELD ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES.

INSPECTION OF THE GONDOLA BY A FSDO AW INSPECTOR INDICATED THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE GONDOLA OR SUSPENSION LINES OTHER THAN A SMALL BURN MARK ON ONE TURN BUCKLE MADE BY AN APPARENT ELECTRICAL ARC.