- Date
- June 9, 1996, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- San Angelo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N63286Aerostar S-60A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960609033049A
- Case key
- 19858
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
failure of the pilot to maintain altitude or clearance from a tree, during an approach to land in a field.
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
During the final approach to land in a field, the basket of the hot air balloon struck the top of a mesquite tree. The pilot's foot was braced against the side of the basket at the point of contact with the tree, and the impact broke her ankle.
Factual narrative
On June 9, 1996, at 0745 central daylight time, an Aerostar S-60A, N63286, registered to and operated by a private owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91, sustained minor damage when it collided with a tree during an approach near San Angelo, Texas. The private pilot was seriously injured and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local pleasure flight and a flight plan was not filed.
According to the pilot, during the final approach to land in a field, the basket of the hot air balloon struck the top of a mesquite tree. The pilot reported that her foot "was braced against the side of the basket" at the point of contact with the tree, and the impact broke her ankle. After the balloon touched down, the three passengers exited the basket to attempt to untangle the basket from the mesquite tree. At the same time, the pilot applied the burner in an attempt to maneuver the balloon away from the tree. The combination of the added power and reduction of weight resulted in the balloon to becoming airborne again. The pilot then landed the balloon a few miles away.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63286
- Reported as
- Aerostar S-60A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S60A-3149
- Airframe hours
- 123
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gail M. Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 1996 · 8 hours before
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 131 total · 131 in this make and model · 112 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N63286 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.