# NTSB LAX93LA188: Aerostar AX-9, N63164, Calistoga, CA, April 22, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 22, 1993, 08:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place: Calistoga, CA
- Coordinates: 38.620124, -122.610458 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6201&lon=-122.6105&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 5 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 3, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 27963
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA188
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/27963/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA188

## Probable cause

THE BALLOON'S ENCOUNTER WITH HIGHER THAN FORECAST WINDS WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.  A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE BALLOON BASKET WITH A RECESSED AREA WHICH PREVENTED ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE INJURED PASSENGER'S FOOT DURING THE LANDING.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - high wind (cause)
  - balloon equipment,basket - other (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PILOT SAID THAT THE PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING CONTAINED A FORECAST FOR WINDS WELL WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE OF THE BALLOON'S NORMAL OPERATING ENVELOPE. THE PILOT SAID AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, HIS GROUND CREW REPORTED AN INCREASE IN THE SURFACE WINDS TO ABOUT EIGHT KNOTS. THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT AS HE PREPARED FOR AN APPROACH HE NOTED THAT SEVERAL BALLOONS ON THE GROUND WERE LAYING OVER. THE PILOT SAID HE SELECTED A LARGE FIELD AND BRIEFED HIS PASSENGERS ON A HIGH WIND LANDING. AT A POINT ABOUT EIGHT FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE WINDS INCREASED TO 12 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME THE WIND EFFECTS AND THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE INJURED PASSENGER'S FOOT WAS PLACED IN A RECESSED AREA OF THE BASKET FLOOR WHICH DID NOT ALLOW FOR ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT. ON GROUND TOUCHDOWN, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A DISLOCATION FRACTURE OF THAT ANKLE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N63164](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N63164-2015-05-04), registration cancelled 2015-05-04, S/N S66A-3043 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR AX-9
- Registry model: [Aerostar International S-66A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s-66a) (registry code 7486066) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: S66A-3043
- Airframe hours: 174
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Operator: Michael Carnevale, doing business as American Balloon Adventures
- Registered owner: Gary S. Boland
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 1992, 13 hours before
- Departed: NONE
- Destination: NONE

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 37; commercial; flight hours: 2,118 total, 400 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19930422013029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930422013029A), Apr 22, 1993: Amtrqa AX10, Calistoga, CA. Passenger broke an ankle on high wind landing. Foot in wrong place. Wind increase not forecast.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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