Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Donald, Oregon 97020
Sunday, August 3, 1997 7:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While attempting to land on the edge of an open field under near-calm conditions, the pilot allowed the balloon to settle into the top of a coniferous tree. As the balloon settled into the tree, the gondola tipped to the side and the Nomex panel and horizontal load tape around the mouth of the envelope became snagged in the tree. As the gondola tipped, the seams on approximately half of the vertical load tapes were exposed to burner heat hot enough to cause failure of the seam thread, and the remainder of the vertical load tape seams failed as the balloon and the gondola pulled against the snagged horizontal load tape. When the last vertical load tape failed, the gondola separated from the envelope. After separating from the envelope, the gondola fell through the tree and impacted the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree that was located on the edge of the field in which he was attempting to land.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 705
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DONALD
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97020
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 7
Injury Total All 8
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1661
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20146
NTSB Number SEA97FA181
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AVIAN
Aircraft Model MAGNUM IX
Aircraft Series Identifier MAGNUM IX
Aircraft Serial Number 184
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 8
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 12 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 198
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN HOT AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13500 SW PACFIC HIGHWAY
Aircraft Owner City TIGARD
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97223
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROGER STADTMUELLER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6607 NORTH ASH, SUITE E
Operator City SPOKANE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99208
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City AURORA
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --