# NTSB NYC88LA188: Fantasy Sky Promotions AX-7, Wellsville, NY, July 16, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 16, 1988, 07:30 local (11:30 UTC)
- Place: Wellsville, NY
- Coordinates: 42.120845, -77.940826 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1208&lon=-77.9408&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 18, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36187
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88LA188
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36187/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88LA188

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - preflight briefing service - inaccurate, other person (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (cause)
  - weather condition - high wind (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - compensation for wind conditions - not attained, pilot in command

## Analysis

ABOUT 35 HOT AIR BALLOONS WERE ENTERED IN THE GREAT WELLSVILLE BALLOON RALLY. AT 0625 EDT, THE PLT (OF C-GDGK) ATTENDED A WX BRIEFING THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE PLTS BY THE BALLOONMEISTER. THE PLT SAID THE BALLOONMEISTER INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE SUITABLE FLYING CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT SURFACE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH, & 27 KT WINDS AT 3000 FT, WITH NO CHANGE EXPECTED UNTIL ABOUT NOON. WHEN THE BALLOON LAUNCHED AT 0640 EDT, THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH AT 7 TO 10 KTS. ABOUT 40 MIN LATER, THE PLT NOTICED DUST WAS BLOWING & TREES WERE BENDING IN THE WIND. HE DECIDED TO LAND AT THE EARLIEST CONVENIENT TIME. HE STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS HARDER THAN NORMAL DUE TO DIMINISHED ALTITUDE CONTROL. THE 2 PAX RCVD SERIOUS INJURIES. NINE OF THE OTHER PLTS ALSO RPRTD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LANDINGS. THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO HAVE SHIFTED & WAS BLOWING AT 30 TO 40 KTS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: CGDGK (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Fantasy Sky Promotions AX-7
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 012
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Registered owner: Paul Guest
- Departed: WELLSVILLE, NY

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 37; foreign; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 57 total, 16 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 35 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 75 °F

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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