Warsaw Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Warsaw, Indiana 46580
Friday, October 18, 1991 18:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A COMMERCIAL PILOT BEGAN A BALLOON FLIGHT IN LATE AFTERNOON AND ATTEMPTED LANDING AT SUNSET. TWO ATTEMPTED LANDINGS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL WHEN THE CHASE CREW COULD NOT CATCH THE GROUND LINES IN THE WIND DRIFT. THE BALLOON REMAINED AIRBORNE AFTER DARK. THE PILOT STATED HE COULD NOT READ INSTRUMENTS NOR MAKE OUT OBSTACLES FOR LANDING FOR LACK OF AVAILABLE LIGHT. HE LATER FOUND A FIELD, MADE A RAPID DESCENT AND LANDED HARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S DELAYED INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO LAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WARSAW
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46580
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WARSAW MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ASW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 150
Airport Elevation 847
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 326
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 799
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1693
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45570
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N357OK
NTSB Number CHI92LA016
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 Aerostar
Aircraft Model RX-8
Aircraft Series Identifier RX-8
Aircraft Serial Number RX8-3049
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 1
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 105
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HENRY J. & MARCILLE CRIPE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2706 BERKEY AVE
Aircraft Owner City GOSHEN
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46526
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HENRY J. & MARCILLE CRIPE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2706 BERKEY AVE
Operator City GOSHEN
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46526
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 NONE
Departure City WATERFORD
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1650
Departure Time Zone EST
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 --