Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monroe, Wisconsin 53566
Friday, June 20, 2003 20:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot received serious injuries when he exited his balloon while attempting to land. The pilot stated that as he made his approach he saw he was below power transmission lines. According to the pilot he made an attempt to go over the lines but was unable to, at which time the pilot decided to exit the balloon. The pilot reported that he jumped from the basket at approximately 8 to 10 feet above the ground. The pilot stated that upon landing he broke his ankle.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the transmission wires during landing and his decision to jump from the balloon. A factor to the accident was the power transmission lines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2040
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Monroe
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53566
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423654N
Event Location Longitude 0893527W
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 6
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 1085
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2034 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID KEFT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1085
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14203
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ACE-ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA Milwuakee FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5253Y
NTSB Number CHI03LA173
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 Aerostar
Aircraft Model S-55A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number S55A-3082
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 3
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 12 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 207
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name The Manuel Company
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1111 Peninsular Drive
Aircraft Owner City Haines City
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33844
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Richard D. Newman
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3315 Whitfield Drive
Operator City Waterford
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 48329
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) Air Race/Show
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Monroe
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Monroe
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 25 2003 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --