Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shawnee, Kansas 66203
Saturday, August 10, 1985 20:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL BALLOON PLT WAS GIVING A RIDE TO THREE PAYING PASSENGERS. PLT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING APCH HIGHER THAN NORMAL WINDS WERE PRESENT SO HE BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS TO LEAN AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE BASKET. HE STATED THAT HE PULLED THE DEFLATION LINE WHEN THE BASKET WAS 3 FT AGL. ONE PASSENGER GOT HER ARM UNDER THE SIDE OF THE BASKET AS IT WAS SKIDDING AND RECEIVED LACERATIONS. AFTER SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, SHE WAS FOUND TO HAVE TWO COMPRESSED VERTEBRAE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SHAWNEE
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66203
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 2015
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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 135
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1238
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28599
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 N40468
NTSB Number MKC85LA185
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BALLOON WORKS
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 7
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 7
Aircraft Serial Number 7902
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 18 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 320
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAY M. DITIRRO
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7252
Aircraft Owner City SHAWNEE MISSION
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66207
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:36AM
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 --