# NTSB FTW05CA001: Aerostar S-60A, N70466, Austin, TX, October 4, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 3, 2004, 19:06 local (Oct 4, 2004, 00:06 UTC) - Place: Austin, TX - Coordinates: 30.316667, -97.766944 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3167&lon=-97.7669&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: San Antonio, Texas - NTSB case key (mKey): 60259 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW05CA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60259/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW05CA001 ## Probable cause The pilot's excessive descent rate during the execution of a high wind landing, resulting in a hard landing. A factor was the high wind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - thunderstorm - weather condition - lightning - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - Hard landing, landing - descent - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, climb - object - fence - object - pole - object - wire,transmission ## Analysis The 2,315-hour balloon pilot reported that after receiving a detailed weather briefing from the local Flight Service Station, he departed with two passengers for a local flight. Approximately one hour into the flight, unforecasted wind began to carry the balloon at a high speed. After several attempts to land, the pilot located an open field. Upon landing, the basket impacted the ground at a high speed, and the pilot and one passenger fell out. The balloon continued to drag the basket across the ground with the other passenger onboard until it collided with a chain link fence, crossed over a road, and was finally lodged in some power lines and electrical poles where it came to rest. ## Factual narrative On October 3, 2004, approximately 1906 central daylight time, an Aerostar S-60A hot-air balloon, N70466, owned and operated by United Van Lines LLC of Fenton, Missouri, sustained substantial damage following a hard landing and uncontrolled ascent into a group of poles and power lines. The commercial pilot and one of the passengers fell out of the basket during the hard landing and sustained minor injuries. The other passenger remained in the basket during the ascent to the poles and power lines, but was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the sightseeing flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local flight originated from Round Rock, Texas, approximately 1745. In a telephone interview with an NTSB representative, the pilot reported that after obtaining a weather briefing from the San Angelo Flight Service Station, he departed Round Rock, Texas, with two passengers onboard. At that time, the wind was out of the northeast at three to five knots. After approximately one hour, the pilot attempted to land the balloon at several different sites, but realized that they were not suitable due to their small size. The pilot then noticed an unforecasted rain cell and some lightning to the north, and unforecasted high wind began to carry the balloon at approximately 15 to 20 knots. The pilot continued on in a southwesterly direction headed to the northwest sector of Austin, Texas, at a speed of up to 25 knots, to find a more suitable field to land in. Approximately 20 minutes later, the pilot spotted an open area in a soccer field near a school and elected to land there. The field was lower than the surrounding area, and the pilot thought that it might provide some shelter from the high wind. The pilot added that the balloon descended quickly into the field at approximately 20 miles per hour. The pilot instructed the passengers to hold on tight and bend their knees to prepare for the hard landing. When the basket hit the ground, the pilot and male passenger were ejected from the basket. Without the weight of the pilot and passenger, the balloon continued to drag the basket across the field with the female passenger still onboard. The basket then collided with a chain-link fence, crossed over a road, ascended, and finally collided with power lines and electrical poles near a group of trees. The basket caught on one of these poles and the balloon envelope was lodged in the poles and lines. The power lines emitted a spark, but there was no fire. The high wind ripped the envelope of the balloon, which deflated after approximately five minutes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that responded to the accident reported substantial damage to the envelope of the balloon. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accrued a total of 2,315 hours of balloon flight time, of which 1,100 hours were in the same make and model. At 1851, the automated weather observing system at Camp Mabry, Texas, a nearby military weather station, reported variable wind at 5 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 4,700 feet, temperature 81 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 21 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.13 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N70466](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70466-2009-03-27), registration cancelled 2009-03-27, S/N S60A-3200, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerostar S-60A - Registry model: [Aerostar International S-60A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s-60a) (registry code 7486060) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: S60A-3200 - Airframe hours: 523 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: United Van Lines, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 13, 2004, 68 hours before - Departed: Round Rock, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: minor; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review December 15, 2002; flight hours: 2,475 total, 1,100 in this make and model, 2,456 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: ATT, 4 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 20041003025819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041003025819A), Oct 3, 2004: Raven S60A, Austin, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On a promotional/advertising flight, the winds speed picked up to 25 knots. The pilot tried to land but hit hard. The pilot and one passenger fell out of… 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.