- Date
- February 6, 1989, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 5 minor
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2912RCameron A-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890206001769A
- Case key
- 26334
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 displayed poor preflight planning and preparation by not properly evaluating the weather conditions.
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 a sightseeing flight, after takeoff, the winds increased. The pilot prepared for a high wind landing and briefed the passengers. The basket impacted the ground, tipped and was dragged for several feet before coming to rest. One passenger sustained serious injuries as a result of the hard landing. A witness reported that the winds were strong prior to takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2912R
- Reported as
- Cameron A-140
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 5023
- Airframe hours
- 448
- Engine
- Unknown UNKNOWN, unknown
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Escape Adventures
- Registered owner
- Cousins Of The Clouds Ball Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 25, 1988 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- Phoenix, AZ
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 234 total · 74 in this make and model · 209 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 45 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DVT, 10 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.