- Date
- May 27, 1990, 08:20 local (13:20 UTC)
- Place
- Austin, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9811NAdams A60S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23133
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilot. The unfavorable wind and obstacles were related factors.
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.
Analysis
The plt stated that the winds were from the south at about 8 KTS as the balloon was being inflated. After inflation was completed, the winds were estimated to be gusting to 15 KTS. The plt elected to launch the balloon though obstacles & buildings were nearby. Drg the launch, the balloon collided with a flag pole, a building & trees. One psgr was seriously injured in the collision with the building. The balloon remained airborne for about 20 min, while the plt was selecting a suitable landing site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9811N
- Reported as
- Adams A60S
- Category
- Balloon
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Hendrix, Terry W.
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
Other investigations on N9811N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.