Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbus, Ohio 43216
Tuesady, December 11, 1990 8:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE BALLOON DEPARTED FROM A FIELD ABOUT 4 MI SOUTHEAST OF THE SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT SITE. WITNESSES SAW THE BALLOON DRIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST AT LOW ALTITUDE. SEVERAL WITNESSES SAID THAT AS THE BALLOON NEARED A 1029 FT TALL TV ANTENNA, IT BEGAN TO ASCEND RAPIDLY & ITS HORIZONTAL SPEED INCREASED. HOWEVER, THE BALLOONS ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE TOP OF THE ANTENA. BOTH THE ENVELOPE & GONDOLA FELL INTO A WOODED AREA. A WEATHER STUDY SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A TEMPERATURE INVERSION & THAT THE WIND VELOCITY INCREASED FROM ABOUT 4 KTS AT THE SURFACE TO ABOUT 13 KTS AT 3000 FT MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND AND TEMPERATURE INVERSION WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COLUMBUS
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43216
Event Date Year 1990
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 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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 14000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2149
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44630
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3589J
NTSB Number NYC91FA046
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerostar
Aircraft Model S-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-60A
Aircraft Serial Number S60A3095
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 ICCHC CORPORATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6013 GLICK ROAD
Operator City POWELL
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43065
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --