Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Austell, Georgia 30001
Saturday, September 1, 1984 19:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE FLYING AT A LOW ALT LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE LANDING AREA THE PLT NOTICED POWER LINES AT A HIGHER ALT. PLT INITIALLYAPPLIED HEAT TO THE ENVELOPE TO TRY AND CLIMB ABOVE THE WIRES, BUT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REALIZE THE HEIGHT OF THE WIRES. PLT THEN ADVISED PAX SHE WOULD HAVE TO 'DUMP IT' AND BEGAN TO PULL THE CORD TO OPEN THE ENVELOPE DEFLATION VALVE IN ORDER TO LAND SHORT OF THE WIRES. ONE OF THE PAX, WITHOUT OBTAINING PERMISSION FROM THE PLT, REPORTEDLY USED THE BURNER TO ADD HEAT TO THE ENVELOPE AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. THE BASKET UPRIGHTS AND THE CABLES IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE BASKET CONTACTED THE WIRES AT AN ALT OF APRX 40 FT AGL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City AUSTELL
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30001
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 9
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 965
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 105
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2009
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25914
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 N2484S
NTSB Number ATL84LA278
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 and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Head Balloons, Inc.
Aircraft Model AX7-77
Aircraft Series Identifier AX7-77
Aircraft Serial Number 103
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 Jul 5 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 74
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JUDITH I. FRAENCKEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3116 DESHONG DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City STONE MOUNTAIN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30087
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --