- Date
- July 2, 1983, 07:05 local (12:05 UTC)
- Place
- Ellsworth, KS
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1531NBalloon Works Fire FLY 7
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830702075459A
- Case key
- 33430
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 balloon collided with a radio tower during takeoff. The wind was reported to be from 180 degrees at 12-18 KTS. There is no evidence that this plt received weather briefing. This balloon was launched closer to the tower than any of the other balloons participating in a rally. The balloon was launched about 386 ft from the 175 ft tower and drifted into it. Witnesses stated that there were no attempts by the plt to abort the takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1531N
- Reported as
- Balloon Works Fire FLY 7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 10170
- Airframe hours
- 26
- Engine
- none T3-017, unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bruce A. Skach
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 9, 1983
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
- 51
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 405 total · 361 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RSL, 28 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.