Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pecos, New Mexico 87552
Thursday, July 2, 1992 8:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS - AT 2000, 0447, AND 0705 - FOR A DEPARTURE OF BETWEEN 0700 AND 0730. EACH INDICATED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR BALLOON FLYING. HOWEVER, SURFACE WINDS WERE FORECAST TO BE 15 KTS GUSTING 25 AFTER 1000. AS THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED, AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO CLIMB IMMEDIATELY TO 1,000 FT. THE PILOT SIGHTED A SUITABLE LANDING AREA AND DESCENDED THROUGH ROTOR WINDS AND LEVELED OFF AT 30 FT. SPEED WAS ESTIMATED AT 25 MPH. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE BASKET TIPPED FORWARD. A PASSENGER WAS EJECTED AND SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE BASKET WAS DRAGGED OVER HER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENCOUNTER WITH HIGH WINDS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 850
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PECOS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87552
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 271
Weather Observation Facility ID SAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 6344
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8313
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) 2146
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46936
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4211V
NTSB Number DEN92LA069
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 RAVEN
Aircraft Model S-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-60A
Aircraft Serial Number 560A-273
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Apr 21 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 287
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOND, WAYNE & CHAPEL, SALLY P.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1874A CALLE QUEDO
Aircraft Owner City SANTA FE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BOND, WAYNE & CHAPEL, SALLY P.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1874A CALLE QUEDO
Operator City SANTA FE
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 87505
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 NONE
Departure City SANTA FE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
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 --