Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wyoming, Michigan 49509
Saturday, October 8, 1983 19:26 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, BOUNCED, HIT A HOUSE AND A UTILITY POLE BEFORE BEING TORN ENOUGH TO COME TO REST. THE HARD LANDING IN AN 8 KT WIND TORE THE VENT LINE FROM THE PILOTS HAND, HE LOST THE ABILITY TO VENT THE BALLOON AND DURING THE COLLISIONS AND DRAGGING HE LOST 2 STRIKERS HE WANTED TO USE TO RELIGHT THE BURNER PILOT LIGHTS. THE PARTIALLYDEFLATED BALLOON BECAME A SAIL AND DRAGGED THE BASKET UNTIL THE POLE AND WIRES RIPPED THE ENVELOPE TWO FULL GORE LENGTHSAND IT DEFLATED AFTER TRAVELING 300 FT FURTHER. FIVE OF THE SIX PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE NOT INJURED. ONE RECEIVED A BROKEN ANKLE WHICH REQUIRED SURGERY. THE BALLOON FLIGHT LASTED ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE LANDING ATTEMPT WHICH ENDED IN THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/8/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1926
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WYOMING
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49509
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
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 Partial - limited by briefer
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
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) 30
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 5
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1552
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21887
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4022K
NTSB Number CHI84LA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ADAMS
Aircraft Model AB
Aircraft Series Identifier AB
Aircraft Serial Number 127
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 26
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD V. KORSKY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5435 RAMSDELL
Aircraft Owner City ROCKFORD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49341
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CANNONSBURG
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1806
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 --