- Date
- April 18, 2009, 08:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Tracy, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6378EAerostar International Raven S49A
- Defining event
- Approach: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 73696
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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while approaching an open field for landing, the balloon suddenly slowed down. Shortly after, he noticed that the balloon had contacted power line wires and that the lines were traveling down the side of the balloon's envelope and uprights and trapped his passenger against the basket. The pilot stated that the passenger was able to free herself as he was able to kick the wires from the corner of the basket. The balloon subsequently ascended about 200 feet. The pilot proceeded to initiate a landing in the nearest open field and landed without further incident. The pilot further reported that neither he nor his passenger saw the power lines prior to impact. Examination of the hot air balloon revealed that the envelope and basket sustained minor damage; however, the passenger sustained serious injuries.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while approaching an open field for landing, the balloon suddenly slowed down. Shortly after, he noticed that the balloon had contacted power line wires, and the lines were traveling down the side of the balloons envelope and uprights and trapped his passenger against the basket. The pilot stated that the passenger was able to free herself as he was able to kick the wires from the corner of the basket. The balloon subsequently ascended about 200 feet. The pilot proceeded to initiate a landing in the nearest open field and landed without further incident. The pilot further reported that neither he nor his passenger saw the power lines prior to the balloon impacting them. Examination of the hot air balloon revealed that the envelope and basket sustained minor damage; however, the passenger sustained serious injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6378E
- Reported as
- Aerostar International Raven S49A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S49A-3117
- Airframe hours
- 252
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lester David V
- Registered owner
- Lester David V
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 2008 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- TCY · Tracy, CA
- Destination
- Tracy, CA
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Last flight review
- June 17, 2007
- Flight hours
- 91 total · 60 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- SCK