Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woody Creek, Colorado 81656
Sunday, August 8, 1993 8:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A LOCAL PASSENGER SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT, THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHIFT AND HIGH WINDS. WHILE DRIFTING AT HIGH SPEED AND LOW ALTITUDE, THE BALLOON STRUCK THE STATIC LINE OF A POWER TRANSMISSION SPAN. THE BASKET WAS SEVERED FROM THE BALLOON AND FELL APPROXIMATELY 108 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND VISUAL LOOKOUT. A FACTOR WAS HIGH WIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City WOODY CREEK
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81656
Event Date Year 1993
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 630 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID GCT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 70
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
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) 6300
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 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1346
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4141D
NTSB Number DEN93FA100
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 Cameron
Aircraft Model N-145
Aircraft Series Identifier N-145
Aircraft Serial Number 5682
Certified Max Gross Weight 1590
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 317
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ASPEN BALLOON ADVENTURE, LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 0047 COYOTE CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City CARBONDALE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81623
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SNOWMASS
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Cruise
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 --