Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edwards, Colorado 81632
Saturday, August 12, 2000 9:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During landing, at the completion of a local area commercial sightseeing flight, the pilot of the balloon thought the ground crew was going to hold the balloon in position. They failed to do so, and the balloon drifted into power lines. Wind at the time was approximately 4 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Lack of crew coordination when the ground crew failed to hold the balloon in position following landing as the pilot expected them to do. A factor was power lines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City EDWARDS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81632
Event Date Year 2000
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 855 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EGE
Elevation of weather observation facility 6535
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 298
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1106
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5268L
NTSB Number DEN00LA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerostar
Aircraft Model S-66A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-66A
Aircraft Serial Number S66A-3064
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 0
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 29
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD SAGON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. 1896
Aircraft Owner City VAIL
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81658
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CAMELOT BALLOONS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10445 W 47TH AVE
Operator City WHEAT RIDGE
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80033
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
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 --