- Date
- September 9, 1983, 18:30 local (Sep 10, 1983, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tucson, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8554NSemco Challenger
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23555
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 pilot was outside the basket when the balloon took off. He grabbed the deflation handle and the balloon carried him aloft. He fell from about 40 ft AGL onto his head and was seriously injured. The pilot reportedly was going to tether the balloon. During inflation the burner slipped out of one holder & inflation was interrupted to work on the burner when the improperly secured balloon lifted off. During investigation the plastic coating on the deflation line was found to be separated where it goes through the 'd' ring attached to he envelope. The deflation line and the vent line were found to be tangled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8554N
- Reported as
- Semco Challenger
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- SEM 78
- Airframe hours
- 276
- Engine
- none N/A, unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kevin D. Gerhart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 2, 1983 · 11 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 114 total · 104 in this make and model · 1,040 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F