Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phoenix, Arizona 85377
Friday, January 1, 1988 9:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A SIGHTSEEING BALLOON FLIGHT, THE WINDS INCREASED TO THE POINT WERE A HIGH WIND LANDING WAS MADE. DURING THE LANDING THE BASKET WAS DRAGGED RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BASKET AND SERIOUS INJURY TO A PASSENGER. DURING TOUCHDOWN ONE OF THE PASSENGERS STARTED TO FALL FROM THE BASKET. THE PLT GRABBED HER AND THREW HER BACK INTO THE BASKET. THE PLT THEN WAS UNABLE TO REMAIN IN THE BASKET AND WAS DISLODGED, BUT MANAGED TO HANG ON, AS THE BASKET WAS DRAGGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/1/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PHOENIX
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85377
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
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 Witness
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
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 3
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 49
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35368
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74169
NTSB Number LAX88LA079
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 BALLOON WORKS
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 8-24
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 8-
Aircraft Serial Number F8071
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 25 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 294
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKIFF, JIM
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2629
Aircraft Owner City CAREFREE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85377
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAINBOW BALLOON FLTS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2629
Operator City CAREFREE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85377
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CAREFREE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 755
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 --