Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Michigan 49015
Sunday, July 12, 1987 8:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO HOT AIR BALLOONS WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION DURING A SANCTIONED BALLOON COMPETITION. N40363 WAS ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. N1505F PARTIALLY DEFLATED AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO THE GROUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT N40363 WAS THE HIGHER OF THE TWO BALLOONS AND APPEARED TO BE DESCENDING. N1505F WAS RISING AND MOVING OVER THE GROUND AT A FASTER RATE. THE GONDOLA OF N40363 CONTACTED THE ENVELOPE OF N1505F AND RIPPED A PORTION OF THE FABRIC. THE PILOT/PASSENGER OF N1505F REPORTED THAT THE PILOT, UPON CONTACT WITH N40363, PULLED THE EMERGENCY RIP PANEL, TURNED OFF THE PROPANE, AND BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR A HARD LANDING. BOTH PILOTS CLAIMED THE OTHER PILOT HAD VIOLATED CONTEST GUIDELINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49015
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 745 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BTL
Elevation of weather observation facility 953
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2277
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35940
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:35PM
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 N1505F N40363
NTSB Number CHI87LA167A CHI87LA167B
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 Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BALLOON WORKS RAVEN
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 7 S55A
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 7 S55A
Aircraft Serial Number 11150 S-55A-851
Certified Max Gross Weight 900 1435
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection -- Apr 10 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- 207
Airframe Hours 116 3049
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name PEGGY OGLAND DAVID PASCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 3 1000 TIMPE RD
Aircraft Owner City LONG LAKE FREMONT
Aircraft Owner State MN OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55356 43420
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code BTL BTL
Departure City BATTLE CREEK BATTLE CREEK
Departure State MI MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 745 745
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
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 10:35AM 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 -- --