- Date
- August 8, 1989, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Indianola, IA
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2210HBalloon Works FIREFLY-7
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890808029949A
- Case key
- 34844
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 clearance from the tv tower due to improper in-flight planning/decision. Unfavorable wind/windshear and the tall tower were contributing factors.
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 plt said the acdnt occurred while he was participating in 'the national classics' with other hot air balloonists. He stated that while ascending, the balloon encountered wind shear that took it off course toward a tall tv tower. Subsequently, the balloon collided with the tower at about the 190 ft level, then it descended uncontrollably to the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2210H
- Reported as
- Balloon Works FIREFLY-7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 7738
- Airframe hours
- 104
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Reinert, Michael P.
- Registered owner
- Olsen Welding/Mach
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 1989 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Indianola, IA
- Airport
- 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Flight hours
- 39 total · 37 in this make and model · 31 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DSM, 15 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.