Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tyler, Texas 75702
Saturday, August 15, 1992 7:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH 69,000 VOLT POWER TRANSMISSION LINES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER TOWARD A DROP ZONE DURING AN ORGANIZED BALLOON RACE. THE BALLOON BASKET WAS ABOUT 20 TO 25 FEET OFF OF THE GROUND AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE WIRES ARCED THROUGH THE BASKET SUSPENSION LINES. ARC HOLES WERE FOUND IN BOTH FUEL TANKS AND THE FUEL WAS IGNITED. THE BASKET FELL TO THE GROUND WHEN THE ENVELOPE WAS RELEASED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 750
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TYLER
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75702
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 747 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID TYR
Elevation of weather observation facility 544
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6012
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 15 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47668
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 GPATY
NTSB Number FTW92LA209
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Thunder and Colt
Aircraft Model SPECIAL SHAPE
Aircraft Series Identifier SPECIAL SH
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 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 OWENS SAUSAGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8186 WALNUT HILL LN.
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75231
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FOSTER, COY Z.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 8186 WALNUT HILL LN.
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75231
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
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 --