Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesquite, Texas 75185
Saturday, August 8, 1992 19:13 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THE BALLOON CONTACTED ELECTRICAL POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE. THE BALLOON BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE ELECTRICAL POWER LINES CAUSING ARCING TO TAKE PLACE IN AND AROUND THE BASKET AREA. WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXTRICATE THE BALLOON FROM THE WIRES THE BASKET SEPARATED FROM THE BALLOON AND FELL 65 FEET TO A PAVED AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM KNOWN OBSTACLES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1913
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MESQUITE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75185
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2861
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47705
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9544G
NTSB Number FTW92FA205
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cameron
Aircraft Model V-77
Aircraft Series Identifier V-77
Aircraft Serial Number 5568
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 4
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLMES, LARRY A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3824 HAMILTON AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City FT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76107
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HOLMES, LARRY A.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3824 HAMILTON AVENUE
Operator City FT WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76107
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --