Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Somonauk, Illinois 60552
Monday, June 17, 1985 20:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH POWERLINES DURING TAKEOFF. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS 10-15 MPH WITH GUSTS. THE OPERATION WAS CANCELED DUE TO THE WIND AFTER 6 SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHES. THE LAST PLT WAS REPORTEDLY PRESSURED TO GO BY HIS PASS'G AND A GUST OF WIND BLEW THEM INTO THE WIRES. ONE PERSON WAS THROWN FROM THE BASKET DURING THE COLLISION AND SUFFERED BROKEN BONES IN HIS ARMS AND RIBS. THE OTHER 3 HAD JUMPED AS INSTRUCTED BY THE PLT AND ESCAPED INJURY.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/17/1985 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 2015 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | SOMONAUK |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 60552 |
| Event Date Year | 1985 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1950 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ARR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 706 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 130 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1200 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | FAA |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2149 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 17 1985 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2155 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 29576 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 9:15AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40532 |
| NTSB Number | CHI85FEE02 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BALLOON WORKS |
| Aircraft Model | FIREFLY AX-7 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | FIREFLY AX |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 10090 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1660 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 25 1985 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 2466 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | |
| Aircraft Owner City | |
| Aircraft Owner State | |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | RONALD W. PIERCE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 432 CHARLOTTE AVENUE |
| Operator City | CRYSTAL LAKE |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 60014 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | SOMONAUK |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2010 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | C48 |
| Destination City | SANDWICH |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:36AM |
| 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 | -- |