Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tampa, Florida 33625
Saturday, October 15, 1988 7:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG AN APCH TO LAND, THE PLT SAW SOME BUSHES & ANOTHER BALLOON (WHICH HAD ALREADY LANDED) IN HIS INTENDED LANDING AREA. HE APPLIED BURNER TO SOAR OVER THE OBSTACLES, THEN PULLED THE ENVELOPE VENT TO QUICKLY DESCEND AFTER THE OBSTACLES HAD BEEN CLEARED. HE RPRTD THAT WITH NO PAX ABOARD, THE REACTION TIME OF THE VENTING PROCESS TOOK LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. THE BALLOON WAS LANDED NEXT TO POWER LINES, & SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENVELOPE BECAME DRAPED OVER THE LINES. A FIRE ERUPTED FROM CONTACT WITH THE LINES & HOLES WERE BURNED IN THE ENVELOPE. THE PLT STATED THE BALLOON WAS TOO BIG TO FLY IN WINDY CONDITIONS WITH ONLY A PLT ABOARD. HE BELIEVED THE ACDNT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY HAVING MORE WEIGHT ON BOARD IN THE FORM OF PAX OR BALLAST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TAMPA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33625
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 Not pertinent
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1702
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37881
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65523
NTSB Number MIA89LA010
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RAVEN
Aircraft Model S-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-60A
Aircraft Serial Number 560A-3073
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Jul 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 12
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLOONS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5770 SPACECOAST PWY
Aircraft Owner City KISSIMMEE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32741
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLOONS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5770 SPACECOAST PWY, #122
Operator City KISSIMMEE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32741
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 735
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 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 --