Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Purcellville, Virginia 22078
Sunday, July 10, 1988 19:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PLT, A WIND GUST OCCURRED DURING LIFT OFF. A PASSENGER SAID THE BALLOON WENT LATERALLY ABOUT 50 TO 75 YDS WHERE IT STRUCK SEVERAL OBSTACLES; A FENCE, A UTILITY LINE, AND A TREE. THE PLT SAID HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND THE BALLOON EVENTUALLY BECAME AIRBORNE. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE WINDS BEGAN INCREASING SO HE DECIDED TO LAND. THE PLT SAID HE LANDED HARD AND THE FORCE EJECTED HIM AND A PAX FROM THE GONDOLA. AFTER THE PLT WAS EJECTED, THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF AGAIN WITH FOUR PASSENGERS ABOARD. THE PASSENGER SAID THE BALLOON LIFTED TO ABOUT 100 FT AGL WHEN HE HEARD THE PLT YELLING TO PULL THE VALVE LINE, WHICH HE DID. THE PASSENGER SAID THE BALLOON DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND LANDED HARD; THE BALLOON COLLAPSED ON THE GONDOLA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT LANDED THE HOT AIR BALLOON AT AN EXCESSIVE DESCENT RATE WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. WIND GUST ARE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PURCELLVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22078
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 145
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2500
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 1
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2340
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 11 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40436
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7108
NTSB Number BFO88LA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BALLOON WORKS
Aircraft Model AX-8
Aircraft Series Identifier AX-8
Aircraft Serial Number F8-105
Certified Max Gross Weight 2020
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 89
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT O.G. THOMAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 115 PLEASANT ST. NW
Aircraft Owner City VIENNA
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22180
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BALLON UNLIMITED CORP
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 115 PLEASANT ST., NW
Operator City VIENNA
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22180
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 1845
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 --