# NTSB DEN00LA150: Aerostar S-66A, N5268L, Edwards, CO, August 12, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 12, 2000, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place: Edwards, CO
- Coordinates: 39.650409, -106.600921 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6504&lon=-106.6009&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 6 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 51117
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA150
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51117/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA150

## Probable cause

Lack of crew coordination when the ground crew failed to hold the balloon in position following landing as the pilot expected them to do.  A factor was power lines.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water collision with object, landing
  - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor)
  - crew/group coordination - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

During landing, at the completion of a local area commercial sightseeing flight, the pilot of the balloon thought the ground crew was going to hold the balloon in position.  They failed to do so, and the balloon drifted into power lines.  Wind at the time was approximately 4 knots.

## Factual narrative

On August 12, 2000, at 0915 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar S-66A balloon, N5268L sustained substantial damage when it struck power lines during landing at Edwards, Colorado.  The commercial pilot and his five passengers were not injured.  The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 913  as a local area sightseeing flight and no flight plan was filed.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to the pilot, wind blew the balloon into power lines during the landing when the ground crew, who the pilot thought was going to hold it in position, failed to do so.  The pilot reported the wind at the time to be about 4 knots.

Damage to the balloon was to the pyrometer, 7 panels, and 2 load tapes.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5268L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5268L-2013-11-12), registration cancelled 2013-11-12, S/N S66A-3064, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Aerostar S-66A
- Registry model: [Aerostar International S-66A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s-66a) (registry code 7486066) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: S66A-3064
- Airframe hours: 29
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Operator: Camelot Balloons, Inc.
- Registered owner: Edward Sagon
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 30, 2000, 29 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; commercial; medical: unknown, unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: EGE, 50 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20000812013199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000812013199A), Aug 12, 2000: Raven S66A, Edwards, CO, No damage. (-23) On August 12, 2000, at 09:00 am MDT, an Aerostar S-66A balloon, N5268L sustained substantial damage when it struck power lines during landing at Edwards,…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
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.