Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Utica, Michigan 48087
Saturday, July 16, 1983 20:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT MADE A DELAYED DECISION TO LAND AND LANDED WITHIN A FEW FT OF WIRES WITHOUT SEEING THEM. THE GROUND CREW TRIED TO HOLD HIM BUT THE BALLOON STILL HAD TOO MUCH LIFT. THE STUDENT THEN SAW THE WIRES AND TRIED TO GO OVER THEMBUT THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE STUDENT JUMPED FROM ABOUT 30 FT UP AS THE BALLOON FREED ITSELF FROM THE WIRES, FLOATED ABOUT 1/2 MILE AND CRASHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City UTICA
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48087
Event Date Year 1983
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 2050
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID DET
Elevation of weather observation facility 626
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21589
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 N1515K
NTSB Number CHI83LA318
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BARNES
Aircraft Model AX-7
Aircraft Series Identifier AX-7
Aircraft Serial Number 10337
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 160
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND PINI II
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1921 MELTON
Aircraft Owner City UTICA
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48087
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 ROCHESTER
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
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 --