Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pratt, Kansas 67124
Sunday, December 5, 1993 10:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE PILOT STATED SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO BREAK THE BALLOON FLIGHT DISTANCE RECORD ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE SELECTED A DAY WITH HIGH WINDS IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL, ANTICIPATING THE WINDS WOULD DIE DOWN BY THE TIME SHE LANDED IN THE EVENING. NINE PROPANE TANKS WERE ABOARD THE BALLOON, AND THE PILOT EXPECTED TO BE ALOFT APPROXIMATELY 8 HOURS. SHE INDICATED THE ACTUAL FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS TWICE WHAT SHE HAD ANTICIPATED. WHEN SHE SWITCHED TO THE 9TH AND FINAL PROPANE TANK, THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PILOT STATED SHE TRIED TO LEVEL OFF AT 1000 FEET, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE DESCENT. THE BASKET TOUCHED DOWN IN A FLAT, OPEN FIELD, AND THE PILOT VENTED THE BALLOON'S ENVELOPE AND SHUT OFF THE PILOT LIGHT. STILL BEING BLOWN BY SURFACE WINDS, THE ENVELOPE HIT ELECTRICAL WIRES, BROKE THE POLE, AND CONTINUED ABOUT 60 FEET BEFORE IT DEFLATED. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE SURFACE WINDS TO BE OUT OF 350 DEGREES AT 30 KNOTS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND THE WEATHER (HIGH WINDS).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/5/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | PRATT |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67124 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| 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 | 1056 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 82 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ICT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1332 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 67 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 21 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 26 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1704 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 5 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1245 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9079M |
| NTSB Number | CHI94LA042 |
| 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 | BALLOON WORKS |
| Aircraft Model | FIREFLY 7-15 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | FIREFLY 7- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | F7-743 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 24 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DAVID MILLER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1304 HICKORY HOLLOW |
| Aircraft Owner City | RALEIGH |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27610 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | KAREN L. GOULD |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5400 KINCROSS COURT |
| Operator City | RALEIGH |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 27610 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | ELIZABETH |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 422 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MKC |
| Destination City | KANSAS CITY |
| Destination State | MO |
| 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 | -- |