- Date
- December 25, 2020, 17:19 local (Dec 26, 2020, 00:19 UTC)
- Place
- Peoria, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6534AAerostar International S-60A
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20201225020569A
- Case key
- 102455
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 encounter with an updraft which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent collision with powerlines.
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 of the balloon reported that, during the touchdown sequence, the balloon encountered an updraft and was launched back into the air towards nearby powerlines. The envelope contacted the powerlines, became momentarily entangled and an arch of electricity substantially damaged and melted several panels of fabric. As the envelope released from the powerlines, the basket dropped to the ground and rolled on its side. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6534A
- Reported as
- Aerostar International S-60A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S60A-3071
- Built
- 1987
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Departed
- Peoria, AZ
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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 20, 2020
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 2 knots, gusting 20
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.