Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Tuesady, October 4, 1988 9:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL BALLOON PLT AND ONE PAX WERE PARTICIPATING IN A BALLOON FIESTA. THE ACFT TOOK OFF FROM ALBUQUERQUE, ON A LOCAL FLIGHT IN LIGHT WINDS. AT ALTITUDE, THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED EASTERLY WINDS THAT CARRIED THE BALLOON SOUTHWEST OF ALBUQUERQUE, WHERE A LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE BALLOON BRUSHED A TREE AND THE PLT ADDED HEAT TO ATTEMPT TO CLIMB. THE BALLOON DID NOT RESPOND FAST ENOUGH AND IT STRUCK THE TERRAIN. THE PAX JUMPED FROM THE BASKET PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE BALLOON BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND THE EASTERLY WIND PUSHED THE BALLOON INTO A WALL AND THROUGH THE PICTURE WINDOW OF A RESIDENCE. THE BALLOON CAME TO REST WITH THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE ROOF, AND THE BASKET INSIDE THE HOME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87106
Event Date Year 1988
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
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6050
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1674
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37846
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3678E
NTSB Number DEN89LA005
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 7
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 7
Aircraft Serial Number F 7-064
Certified Max Gross Weight 1660
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 May 21 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 320
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STANLEY E STEVENSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11395 RIDGE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WILCOTT
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14590
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVENSON, STANLEY E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11395 RIDGE ROAD
Operator City WOLCOTT
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14590
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --