- Date
- September 13, 2024, 18:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Amsterdam, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N53081Aerostar International RX-7
- Defining event
- Approach: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240913013619A
- Case key
- 195131
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 maintain adequate clearance from powerlines during final approach for landing.
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 pilot reported that he launched his hot air balloon for a brief solo flight with the intent of practicing maneuvers during calm wind conditions. Shortly after departure, he prepared for landing on a spot about 1/4-mile away that consisted of a flat harvested corn field. During the landing approach, he observed a powerline perpendicular to his final approach and landing target. He initially thought about climbing, but realized the balloon would not react fast enough, so he opened the vent to deflate the envelope and descend. The balloon envelope did not vent quickly enough and the balloon drifted into the powerlines, resulting in electrical arcing until the electrical breaker shut off. The basket settled onto the ground and the balloon envelope remained partially inflated and draped over the powerlines. The arcing resulted in substantial damage to the balloon; 6 cables were severed and there were multiple burn holes in the envelope. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the balloon that would have precluded normal operation or performance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53081
- Reported as
- Aerostar International RX-7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX7-3344
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 365.7
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 10, 2023
- Departed
- PVT · Charlton, NY
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 54 total · 54 in this make and model · 54 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- SCH, 7 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSCH 132053Z 11004KT 10SM SCT048 SCT055 27/17 A3020
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB 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.