Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Crescent, Oklahoma 73028
Monday, October 4, 2004 5:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 4,408-hour lighter-than-air pilot reported that upon landing in an open field during dark night visual conditions, the envelope of the hot air balloon struck a set of power lines. The pilot stated that during the approach to landing, his pilot rated observer used night vision goggles to examine the landing area for objects and did not see the power lines. The pilot added that the prior to landing, the wind changed direction from 080 degrees to 165 degrees and increased to approximately 13 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the high power transmission lines. Contributing factor was the dark night and high wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Crescent
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73028
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355112N
Event Location Longitude 0973403W
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 Not pertinent
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 164
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.36
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16726
NTSB Notification Source ABQ Flight Standards District
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2004 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number G-BSRJ
NTSB Number FTW05CA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Thunder and Colt
Aircraft Model AA-1050
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1782
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 Sep 9 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 625
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Trezpark LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2289 Park Lake Drive
Aircraft Owner City Boulder
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80301
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name David Levin
Operator Same as Owner? No
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) Air Race/Show
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Albuquerque
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Crescent
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Oct 13 2004 8:56AM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --