Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Lebannon, Maine 04083
Monday, July 2, 1984 20:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

STUDENT BALLOON PILOT WAS ON THIRD SUPERVISED SOLO FLT WITH HIS FLT INSTRUCTOR ACTING AS MEMBER OF THE CHASE CREW. PLT WAS CONTROLLING DESCENT WITH SHORT BURSTS OF PROPANE BURNER.GROUND CONTACT WAS HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE BALLOON SKIRT TO CONTINUE DOWNWARD MOTION TO THE GROUND. AS ENVELOPE REBOUNDED THE GONDOLA FILLED WITH PROPANE WHICH IGNITED. INSTRUCTOR ASSISTED PLT IN EVACUATING AS BALLOON BECAME AIRBORNE, ASCENDED TO APRX 1500 FT WITH GONDOLA IN FLAMES AND EXPLODED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NORTH LEBANNON
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04083
Event Date Year 1984
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
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 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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2262
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26195
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 N5568A
NTSB Number NYC84FNC05
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RAVEN
Aircraft Model RX 6
Aircraft Series Identifier RX 6
Aircraft Serial Number RX6-366
Certified Max Gross Weight 619
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 Jun 30 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 186
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD CARDINALI
Aircraft Owner Street Address VANTAGE POINT
Aircraft Owner City SO. LEBANON
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04027
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SOUTH LEBANON
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 --