Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bernalillo, New Mexico 87004
Saturday, October 6, 1990 10:32 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE DRIFTING WITH THE WIND DURING A BALLOON FIESTA. WITNESSES SAID THE BALLOON STRUCK POWER LINES ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CHASE CREW SAID ONE OF THE MEN TRIED TO SLIDE DOWN A ROPE BUT LOST HIS GRIP AND FELL TO THE TERRAIN. THE WITNESSES SAID THE OTHER MAN GRABBED THE POWER LINE AND HELD ON FOR A SHORT TIME, THEN FELL TO THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT, RESULTING IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH POWER LINES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1032
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BERNALILLO
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87004
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1388
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 853
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42699
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4062H
NTSB Number DEN91LA003
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 In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Raven
Aircraft Model S-55A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-55A
Aircraft Serial Number S55A-864
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 0
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEPHEN M. FALLACY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12405 VIEW COURT, NE.
Operator City ALBUQUERQUE
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 87112
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 ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Cruise
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 --