Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peoria, Arizona 85380
Saturday, December 26, 1992 9:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE BALLOON DRIFTED IN A NORTHWEST DIRECTION UNTIL IT REACHED A LARGE FIELD THE PILOT HAD SELECTED FOR LANDING. AT ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE PILOT SAID THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED A LARGE GUST OF WIND AND A WINDSHEAR WHICH PUSHED IT INTO THE GROUND AND CAUSED A HARD LANDING. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED TWO OTHER BALLOONS MAKE SOFT LANDINGS IN THE SAME FIELD ABOUT 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO HIS LANDING ATTEMPT. A PASSENGER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED FOOT AND VERTEBRAE DURING THE HARD LANDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE BALLOON'S ENCOUNTER WITH A GUSTY WIND SHEAR CONDITION DURING THE FINAL DESCENT FOR LANDING AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR THE PILOT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT A HARD LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PEORIA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85380
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 948
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 31 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52006
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2815S
NTSB Number LAX93LA084
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-55A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-55A
Aircraft Serial Number S55A-1108
Certified Max Gross Weight 1435
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 Oct 20 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 230
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT HU& DIANE HUTSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3302 W. DENTON #B
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85017
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LARRY E. DAVIDSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5303 W. BARBARA
Operator City GLENDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85302
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 800
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Landing
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 --