- Date
- November 19, 1989, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19891119066292A19891119066291A
- Case key
- 41159
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot of the raven RX7, N5710Y, failed to maintain adequate control to avoid a collision with the firefly 7, N4070W, and both pilots did not maintain adequate clearance from each other during the practice maneuver.
Analysis
During a practice maneuver for a ribbon race, both balloons ascended simultaneously to an altitude of 200 feet above the ground and to a position 60 feet apart. The raven RX7, N5710Y, suddenly rose, and the basket collided with the upper envelope of the firefly 7, N4070W, resulting in a 10 ft rip. An emergency landing was made without further incident.
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.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N4070W
- Reported as
- Balloon Works Firefly 7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 10057
- Airframe hours
- 426
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard K. Tanner
- Registered owner
- Jerry L. Price
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 1989 · 57 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.
- Registration
- N5710Y
- Reported as
- Raven Rally RX7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX7-227
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry D. Burkhart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N4070W
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Flight hours
- 55 total · 22 in this make and model · 32 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N5710Y
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4070W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.