Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mckinney, Texas 75069
Saturday, September 29, 2001 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot received a weather briefing and when they launched the balloon, the wind was as reported during the briefing. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the wind speed had increased. The pilot told his passenger that they were going to conduct a "lay down landing," and he briefed her on the proper landing position. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when both he and his passenger saw a fence in their flight path that they "had not seen before." The pilot attempted to slow the descent; however, they were too close, and the balloon basket impacted the fence. The passenger was thrown forward against the other side of the basket where she impacted and broke her arm. The balloon subsequently impacted the ground and drug approximately 300 feet before coming to a stop. The passenger reported that she had flown with the pilot on numerous occasions and was familiar with the balloon. She knew they were going to hit the fence; however, she "must not have been holding on tight enough" since she was thrown to the opposite side of the balloon basket.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the fence while landing. A contributing factor was the high wind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City McKinney
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75069
Event Date Year 2001
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11495
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Dallas, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60206
NTSB Number FTW01LA213
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cameron Balloon
Aircraft Model N-77
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5468
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24.7
Airframe Hours 251.6
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Garry W. George
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10802 County Road 442
Aircraft Owner City Princeton
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75407
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City McKinney
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 745
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? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 28 2002 5:52PM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --