- Date
- December 30, 1995, 08:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lucerne Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N70107Aerostar RX-8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951230043199A
- Case key
- 29362
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 balloon's encounter with unexpected high wind conditions, and the pilot's inability to stop the balloon prior to contacting ground obstructions.
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 reported that the first flight of the morning was completed successfully, and new passengers were boarded for the accident flight. As the balloon achieved 3,000 feet agl during the flight, the ground crew radioed the pilot that the surface winds were rapidly increasing and were now at 20 knots. The pilot initiated a high wind landing in a field by actuating the top vent at 18 feet agl. The balloon touched down firmly and was dragged by the winds about 1,500 feet along the ground until it was stopped by a chain link fence and metal shed.
Factual narrative
On December 30, 1995, at 0845 hours Pacific standard time, an Aerostar RX-8 balloon, N70107, sustained substantial damage during a high wind landing at Lucerne Valley, California. The balloon was owned and operated by the pilot and was engaged in a for-hire sightseeing flight with two passengers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The balloon envelope and basket sustained substantial damage in the ground contact and obstacle collision sequence. The certificated commercial pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The flight originated at Apple Valley, California, on the day of the accident at 0815 as a local area flight.
The pilot reported that the first flight of the morning was completed successfully and new passengers were boarded for the accident flight. As the balloon achieved 3,000 feet agl during the flight, the ground crew radioed the pilot that the surface winds were rapidly increasing and were now at 20 knots. The pilot initiated a high wind landing in a field by actuating the top vent at 18 feet agl. The balloon touched down firmly and was drug by the winds about 1,500 feet along the ground until it was stopped by a chain link fence and metal shed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N70107
- Reported as
- Aerostar RX-8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 3198
- Airframe hours
- 189
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Harold W. Ludwig
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 30, 1994 · 89 hours before
- Departed
- Apple Valley, CA
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 123 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.