Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Circleville, Utah 84759
Monday, November 14, 1988 7:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL BALLOON PILOT AND A COMMERCIAL RATED PASSENGER WERE MAKING AN OVERNIGHT FLIGHT. THE BALLOON WAS EQUIPPED WITH INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT THAT ALLOWED FLIGHT FOLLOWING BY LOS ANGELES ARTCC. THE FLIGHT BECAME ENGULFED IN A COLD FRONT AND ENDURED HEAVY TURBULENCE, STRONG UP AND DOWN DRAFTS, SLEET, SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES. WINDS OF OVER 60 KNOTS PUSHED THE BALLOON TOWARD UTAH. AT DAYLIGHT THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND NEAR CIRCLEVILLE, UTAH. THE PASSENGER SAID THE PLT MISTAKENLY PULLED THE 'RED LINE' WHICH DUMPED ALL THE HELIUM. THE BALLOON FELL AT A RATE BEYOND THE MAXIMUM READINGS ON THE VSI.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 710
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CIRCLEVILLE
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84759
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 11
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 Full
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 Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 50
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 6000
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1996
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 14 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1251
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38352
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N46SP
NTSB Number DEN89LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SKYPOWER
Aircraft Model 6
Aircraft Series Identifier 6
Aircraft Serial Number 114
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Sep 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 191
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCORPION BALLOONS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 246 LOMITA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PERRIS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92370
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ANAHEIM
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --