Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phoenix, Arizona
Friday, February 19, 1982 10:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS LANDING IN A VACANT LOT WHEN THE LIGHT AND VARIABLE WIND SHIFTED AND STARTED BLOWING THE BALLOON TOWARD POWERLINES. JUST PRIOR TO THE WIND SHIFT, THE BALLOON WAS DESCENDING RAPIDLY. RATHER THAN MAKE A HARD LANDING, THE PILOT TRIED TO "BURN" HIS WAY OUT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB FAST ENOUGH TO MISS THE WIRES. AFTER CONTACTING THE WIRES, THE SUSPENSION CABLES FROM THE BASKET TO THE ENVELOPE WERE BURNED IN TWO. THE BASKET AND OCCUPANTS FELL ABOUT 14 FT TO THE GROUND. ALSO, A POWERLINE WAS SEVERED BY ARCING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PHOENIX
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 2
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 65
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 620
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1527F
NTSB Number LAX82FUJ28
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 BALLOON WORKS
Aircraft Model FIREFLY
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY
Aircraft Serial Number 11041
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 38
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C. G. CATALLO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29 BUFFALO
Aircraft Owner City CLARKSTON
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48016
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name C. G. CATALLO
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 29 BUFFALO
Operator City CLARKSTON
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48016
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
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 --