# NTSB investigations: Head Balloons AX8-88

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA23LA315](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA315.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Guilford, CT · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 24, 2023 · N4522E · No damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate supervision of the boarding process and the ground crewmember’s failure to immediately let go of the balloon after it began an inadvertent climb.
- [NTSB WPR20CA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA262.md): Head AX8 88 · Jackson, WY · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Aug 3, 2020 · N45303 · Minor damage
  > The balloon pilot’s inability to maintain altitude during un-forecasted weather, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA15CA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA035.md): Head AX8 88B · Montevallo, AL · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 25, 2014 · N20671 · No damage
  > The pilot's decision to conduct a landing to a confined area in high wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent injury to a passenger.
- [NTSB ERA11CA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA353.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Summerdale, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 18, 2011 · N8190V · Substantial damage
  > The balloon pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude/clearance from a tree line during the landing approach.
- [NTSB CEN10CA543](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA543.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Ft. Wayne, IN · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 12, 2010 · N2064W · No damage
  > The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for the landing.
- [NTSB CHI06CA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA160.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Gretna, NE · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 12, 2006 · N83030 · No damage
  > A run-on landing encountered by the pilot of the balloon due to the prevailing winds. The unfavorable winds were a contributing factor.
- [NTSB FTW04CA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA193.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Baton Rouge, LA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 9, 2004 · N83063 · No damage
  > The pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for landing. A contributing factor was the high vegetation.
- [NTSB SEA02LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA02LA122.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Victor, ID · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 5, 2002 · N4522E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the power lines during the landing resulting in the balloon's impacting the wires. Contributing factors were the power lines and strong winds existent at the time.
- [NTSB LAX97LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA159.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · San Diego, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 14, 1997 · N380P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to increase sink rate to avoid flying into an obstacle with insufficient altitude remaining to reduce the sink rate prior to impact with the ground.
- [NTSB FTW95LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA323.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Mesquite, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 29, 1995 · N4516R · Minor damage
  > The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and the crewmember's failure to hold onto the basket. A factor was the high wind.
- [NTSB FTW89FA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW89FA081.md): Head Balloons AX8-88 · Troy, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 16, 1989 · N4510H · Substantial damage
  > Improper planning/decision by the pilot, and inadequate supervision by the check pilot, which resulted in their failure to maintain clearance from the tree during the landing. Factors related to the accident were: the high wind & tree(s).

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('4280200'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb?model=4280200

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