The bulletin
Text extracted from the PDF.
FAA Aviation Safety
SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS
INFORMATION BULLETIN SAIB: CE-11-44 SUBJ: Fuel: Cylinder Strap Installation Date: July 13, 2011 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) informs registered owners/operators of all hot air balloons, certificated under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39, of an airworthiness concern.
At this time, this airworthiness concern has not been determined to be an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under 14 CFR part 39.
Background
An FAA accident investigation of a hot air balloo n accident revealed improper securing of the propane tank in the basket. The upper tank restraining strap installation did not secure the tank from up or down movement. During landing, the tank became dislodged and landed on the foot of a passenger. Inspections of six other tank installations on different manufacturers’ balloons revealed similar general lacking of positive tank restraint and variations of tank restraint strap installations.
Recommendations
The FAA recommends owners/operators of all hot air balloons assure the tank ins tallations are accordance with their manufacturer’s operating manual and to also assure that the upper tank strap installation prevents any vertical movement of the tank.
For Further Information Contact
Taylor Martin, Aerospace Engineer, 901 Locust Street, Room 301, Kans as City, MO 64106;
phone (816) 329-4138; fax (816) 329-4090; e-mail: taylor.martin@faa.gov.
Registered aircraft it may concern
Registry models matched by Aeronaut Instruction Research Skysailor 105, Skysailor 90, 110C and 430 more, the same way as ADs, with the most registered aircraft first.