Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hatboro, Pennsylvania 19040
Thursday, August 31, 1989 19:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE BALLOON DEPARTED ON A PLEASURE FLT WITH 4 PASSENGERS ABOARD. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM THE SOUTHEAST AT 5 KTS, VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED & THE TEMP WAS 72 DEGS. ABOUT 30 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT DISCOVERED THE #2 PROPANE TANK WAS EMPTY. HE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO THE #1 RESERVE TANK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN AN APPROPRIATE LANDING SPOT, THE BURNER PRESSURE DROPPED & THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID POWERLINES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GONDOLA CONTACTED & CAME TO REST ON THE POWERLINES. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE THE GONDOLA, BUT IT FELL TO THE GROUND & ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED; THE OTHER PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE OBSTRUCTIONS. A RELATED FACTOR WAS: THE LOW LEVEL OF PROPANE (FUEL), WHICH RESULTED IN LOW BURNER PRESSURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HATBORO
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19040
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 Dusk
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 185
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1310
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39603
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7406F
NTSB Number NYC89LA212
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 FIREFLY
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY
Aircraft Serial Number F88-019
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Oct 15 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 96
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BLUE DRAGON/FULL OF HOT AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 301 PROSPECT AVE
Aircraft Owner City NORTH WALES
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19454
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN W. EDLING
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 301 PROSPECT AVENUE
Operator City NO. WALES
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19454
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City NORTH WALES
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
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 --