Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jacksonville, Florida 32257
Tuesady, July 20, 1993 8:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT INITIATED A DESCENT TO LAND IN A FIELD BUT OBSERVED A FENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT & ADDED BURNER HEAT TO CLEAR THE FENCE. WHILE THE BALLOON WAS ABOUT 15-20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT THEN ADVISED ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WHO WAS NOT A PILOT, TO PULL A RED LANYARD BUT DID NOT ADVISE HIM OF THE EFFECT OF PULLING IT. THE PASSENGER COMPLIED AND THE BALLOON LANDED HARD RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO A PASSENGER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER PROCEDURES BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JACKSONVILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32257
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 845 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 303
Weather Observation Facility ID NIP
Elevation of weather observation facility 22
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1335
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N45124
NTSB Number MIA93LA159
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Head Balloons, Inc.
Aircraft Model AX8-105
Aircraft Series Identifier AX8-105
Aircraft Serial Number 182
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 27 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 78
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VAUGHN, CHARLES M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2548 PARENTAL HOME ROAD
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32216
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 --