- Date
- February 2, 1991, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Durango, CO
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N35773Aerostar RX7
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910202003899A
- Case key
- 18070
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance. Factors were: the unfavorable winds and the high obstructions in the flight path.
Analysis
After lifting the balloon out of the canyon, the pilot began looking for a landing site in the flats above the canyon rim. The balloon began to descend and despite a long burn, the descent continued. In an effort to miss the power lines, the pilot ripped out the top but was unable to avoid the collision. The pilot concluded that he encountered a rotor generated by winds in the canyon forcing the balloon to the ground. He also stated that the wires had been visible for an 'extended period of time.'
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35773
- Reported as
- Aerostar RX7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX7-3208
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Phillip H. Nelson
- Registered owner
- Phillip H. Nelson
- Departed
- NONE · Durango, CO
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 226 total · 226 in this make and model · 214 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.