Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Carefree, Arizona 85377
Saturday, October 3, 1987 9:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
DURING THE FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT, A SMALL PORTION OF THE BALLOON ENVELOPE CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED. THE SECOND TAKEOFF ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL. ONE PASSENGER ON THE BALLOON SAID THAT THE FLIGHT WAS VERY ERRATIC RANGING IN ALTITUDE FROM 10 FEET AGL TO 1000 FEET AGL. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE PARTIALLY COLLAPSED IN TURBULENT WEATHER AND WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THE BALLOON BASKET COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND FOUR OF THE SEVEN OCCUPANTS FELL OUT. THE BALLOON SHOT INTO THE AIR, DESCENDED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AGAIN. THE PILOT COLLAPSED THE ENVELOPE AS THE BALLOON SKIDDED ACROSS THE GROUND. WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 090 DEGREES AT 09 KNOTS GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/3/1987 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | CAREFREE |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85377 |
| Event Date Year | 1987 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| 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 | Partial - limited by pilot |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 900 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1132 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| 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) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3263 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 7 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 868 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 3 1987 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1115 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 34165 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 13 2000 2:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1600P |
| NTSB Number | LAX88LA002 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Avian Balloon |
| Aircraft Model | MAGNUM IX |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | MAGNUM IX |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 135 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1000 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 38 |
| Airframe Hours | 38 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CRILEY, SHIRLEY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2737 WIKIEM |
| Aircraft Owner City | PHOENIX |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85017 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | RAINBOW BALLOON FLIGHTS |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. BOX 2629 |
| Operator City | CAREFREE |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 85377 |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | CAREFREE |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 830 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| 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 | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 22 2001 3:51PM |
| 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 | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |