- Date
- July 4, 1996, 07:25 local (12:25 UTC)
- Place
- Canton, MS
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7155NAerostar RX-8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 10, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960704016039A
- Case key
- 38045
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
failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude and/or clearance from the tower.
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
After takeoff, the balloon pilot made a climb to about 1,000 feet. Approximately 15 minutes later, he descended and was moving past the top of a 495 foot tower. As he was passing the tower, he attempted a climb; however, before climbing, the balloon encountered a wind change, which blew it toward the tower. The balloon collided with the tower, and the envelope ripped open. The balloon then entered an uncontrolled descent and collided with a tree and the ground.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 1996, about 0725 central daylight time, an Aerostar International RX-8 balloon, N7155N, registered to a private individual, collided with a tower and crashed to the ground near Canton, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The balloon received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot and two passengers received serious injuries. The flight originated from Canton, Mississippi, the same day about 0700.
The pilot stated that after takeoff they climbed to about 1,000 feet. After 15 minutes they descended to about 500 feet and began moving to the south of a 495 foot tower. They passed the tower and as they did the balloon climbed about 50 feet. They encountered a wind which blew them back into the tower. The balloon collided with the tower and the envelope was pierced. The balloon began to descend and he attempted to heat what was left of the envelope. The balloon impacted with a tree and then the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7155N
- Reported as
- Aerostar RX-8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX83248
- Airframe hours
- 9
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John M. Delancey
- Registered owner
- Nancy Parker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 29, 1996 · 9 hours before
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 290 total · 260 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAN, 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.