Storm Lake Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Storm Lake, Iowa 50588
Thursday, September 1, 1994 19:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, as he approached his destination airport in his hot air balloon, the balloon encountered a downdraft from a dissipating thunderstorm. He intended to bring the hot air balloon down to the ground quickly to avoid the wind from blowing the balloon across the ground. Although he continued burning all the way to the ground, the pilot was unable to stop the balloon's high rate of descent. The gondola impacted the ground hard, rebounded into the air to approximately 100 feet above the ground, and then impacted the ground again. The balloon continued along the ground until it struck power lines where it came to rest.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's excessive rate of descent to landing. Factors in the accident were the gusts and downdraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City STORM LAKE
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50588
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STORM LAKE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SLB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1488
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SLB
Elevation of weather observation facility 1488
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 755
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2597S
NTSB Number CHI94LA309
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Balloon Works
Aircraft Model FIRE FLY 7-15
Aircraft Series Identifier FIRE FLY 7
Aircraft Serial Number F7-811
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 0
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD C. SCHICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 38
Aircraft Owner City MORRISON
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50657
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD C. SCHICK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 38
Operator City MORRISON
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 50657
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --