NTSB investigations: Head Balloons AX8-88
11 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Head Balloons AX8-88. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.
Cases per year
| 1989 | 1 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
Where
Open the mapLatest cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('4280200'))
ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('4280200'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESCRun it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
NTSB ERA23LA315Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Guilford, CTThe pilot’s inadequate supervision of the boarding process and the ground crewmember’s failure to immediately let go of the balloon after it began an inadvertent climb.NTSB WPR20CA262Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportHead AX8 88 · Jackson, WYThe balloon pilot’s inability to maintain altitude during un-forecasted weather, which resulted in a hard landing.NTSB ERA15CA035Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportHead AX8 88B · Montevallo, ALThe pilot's decision to conduct a landing to a confined area in high wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent injury to a passenger.NTSB ERA11CA353Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Summerdale, ALThe balloon pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude/clearance from a tree line during the landing approach.NTSB CEN10CA543Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Ft. Wayne, INThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for the landing.NTSB CHI06CA160Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Gretna, NEA run-on landing encountered by the pilot of the balloon due to the prevailing winds. The unfavorable winds were a contributing factor.NTSB FTW04CA193Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Baton Rouge, LAThe pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for landing. A contributing factor was the high vegetation.NTSB SEA02LA122Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Victor, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the power lines during the landing resulting in the balloon's impacting the wires. Contributing factors were the power lines and strong winds existent at the time.NTSB LAX97LA159Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · San Diego, CAThe pilot's decision to increase sink rate to avoid flying into an obstacle with insufficient altitude remaining to reduce the sink rate prior to impact with the ground.NTSB FTW95LA323Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Mesquite, TXThe pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and the crewmember's failure to hold onto the basket. A factor was the high wind.NTSB FTW89FA081Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportHead Balloons AX8-88 · Troy, TXImproper planning/decision by the pilot, and inadequate supervision by the check pilot, which resulted in their failure to maintain clearance from the tree during the landing. Factors related to the accident were: the high wind & tree(s).