- Date
- November 24, 1990, 07:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 5 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3605TAerostar S-77A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901124051709A
- Case key
- 27065
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
Strength degradation of the kevlar suspension cables, due to previous heat damage. Factors related to the accident were: failure of the quick release line to release, and susceptibility of kevlar suspension cables to heat.
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
While boarding psnl for a launch, the balloon (bln) was inflated & tethered to a vehicle with a quick release line. Winds at the time were estd to be abt 7 KTS & slightly gusty. Drg the launch, the plt added heat to takeoff & signaled for a release, but the quick release line failed to release. The bln settled to the gnd & 'bobbed' up & dwn 2 times. The plt rprtd that at the height of a bounce (abt 6 to 10 ft), all 28 of the advanced fiber technology (aft) kevlar suspension cables failed. The basket fell to the gnd & the envelope rose to abt 500 to 700 ft, though the red line stayed attached to the basket & opened the deflation port; 2 of the 7 occupants rcvd serious injuries. An exam revealed strength degradation of the kevlar cables due to heat exposure. The bln had 240 hrs of flt time. Strength loss was fnd in some aft/kevlar cables of other blns. On 11/28/90, Aerostar intl svc bulletin #129 was issued to retrofit all S-66A & S-77A bns with steel cables.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3605T
- Reported as
- Aerostar S-77A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S77A-3011
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Unicorn Balloon Co.
- Destination
- 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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 2,132 total · 1,100 in this make and model · 2,091 as pilot in command · 71 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.