Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85706
Sunday, July 26, 1987 6:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING BALLOON FLIGHT, THE PLT WAS MAKING A LANDING AT AN OPEN CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE GONDOLA TOUCHED DOWN THEN SKIPPED THREE TIMES AND CAME TO REST ON THE EDGE OF A LEDGE APRX 10 FT IN HEIGHT. THE BALLOON TIPPED OVER THE EDGE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND MISC CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS BELOW. THE INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS WERE SUSTAINED FROM THE FALL OFF THE LEDGE WHEN THE BALLOON TIPPED OVER. THE PLTS FLT TIME WAS NOT AVAILABLE EXCEPT 1176 HRS REPORTED AS LIGHTER THAN AIR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85706
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 650 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2630
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1255
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34557
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43995
NTSB Number LAX87LA284
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Raven
Aircraft Model S77A
Aircraft Series Identifier S77A
Aircraft Serial Number S77A112
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Dec 21 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 209
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FENDLER, JOSEPH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2244 W KIOWA CIR.,
Aircraft Owner City MESA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85202
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FENDLER, JOSEPH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2244 W. KIOWA CIRCLE
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85202
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City TUCSON
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 --