Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Vegas, Nevada 89030
Sunday, November 19, 1989 9:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PRACTICE MANEUVER FOR A RIBBON RACE, BOTH BALLOONS ASCENDED SIMULTANEOUSLY TO AN ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND TO A POSITION 60 FEET APART. THE RAVEN RX7, N5710Y, SUDDENLY ROSE, AND THE BASKET COLLIDED WITH THE UPPER ENVELOPE OF THE FIREFLY 7, N4070W, RESULTING IN A 10 FT RIP. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT OF THE RAVEN RX7, N5710Y, FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CONTROL TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE FIREFLY 7, N4070W, AND BOTH PILOTS DID NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM EACH OTHER DURING THE PRACTICE MANEUVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89030
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 Witness
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2046
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41279
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N4070W N5710Y
NTSB Number SEA90LA032A SEA90LA032B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BALLOON WORKS Raven
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 7 RALLY RX7
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 7 RALLY RX7
Aircraft Serial Number 10057 RX7-227
Certified Max Gross Weight 1660 1430
Aircraft Category Balloon Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- --
Number of Engines 0 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Apr 12 1989 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 57 --
Airframe Hours 426 --
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JERRY L. PRICE JERRY D. BURKHART
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 326 2821 GEIST COURT
Aircraft Owner City PAONIA LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State CO NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81428 89115
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name RICHARD K. TANNER
Operator Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Street Address 2825 REYNOLDS AVE
Operator City N. LAS VEGAS
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89030
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900 900
Departure Time Zone PST PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --