- Date
- May 11, 2013, 06:00 local (11:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anthony, KS
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3171LBalloon Works Firefly 8B-15
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20130511010559A
- Case key
- 86900
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to monitor the balloon's altitude, which resulted in the balloon impacting an airport rotating beacon tower.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The balloon had just taken off from the airport as part of a balloon rally. The pilot said that the balloon was about 150 to 200 feet above the ground and that he was checking his flight instruments when the balloon encountered a “false lift condition” and settled on top of the rotating beacon tower on the airport. The balloon envelope was torn open, deflating the envelope, and the basket settled on the ground. A postaccident examination of the balloon showed substantial damage to the top one-third of the envelope's fabric and load tapes. No preaccident anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation of the balloon.
Factual narrative
The balloon had just taken off from the airport as part of a balloon rally. The pilot said that he was about 150 to 200 feet above the ground and was checking his flight instruments when the balloon encountered a false lift condition and it settled on top of the rotating beacon tower on the airport. The balloon envelope was torn open deflating the envelope and the basket settled on the ground. The pilot and the 2 passengers on board exited the basket unharmed. A postaccident examination of the balloon showed substantial damage to the top one-third of the envelope's fabric and load tapes. No other anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation of the balloon. Weather conditions in the area at the time of the accident were winds out of the west at 6 knots, scattered clouds at 4,700 feet and 10 statute miles visibility.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3171L
- Reported as
- Balloon Works Firefly 8B-15
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- F8B-493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Balloonport Of Oklahoma Inc
- Registered owner
- Balloonport Of Oklahoma Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- ANY · Anthony, KS
- Destination
- ANY · Anthony, KS
- Airport
- ANY · Anthony Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 415 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- AVA, 43 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 428 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.