Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Indianola, Iowa 50125
Monday, August 1, 2005 19:09 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A free balloon sustained substantial damage during a forced landing when it impacted power lines after an in-flight fire. The pilot reported that during the preflight checks of the balloon he connected the two liquid propane lines and the pilot light vapor line properly. The pilot reported the balloon lifted off the field and that the burner was functioning normally. When the balloon was about 700 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot observed flames "coming from both the pilot light hose and the tank hose (right side of aircraft and the side where two tanks are manifolded together)." He attempted to put out the fire with his gloved hand, but was unsuccessful. He then shut off the tanks at the tank valves on the right side of the balloon, but the fire continued. He reported that an emergency landing was imminent so he shut off the third tank on the left side of the balloon. Then he rechecked to make sure the manifold valves were shut off. The bottom of the balloon's basket hit the power lines. The balloon continued to descend until the basket impacted the ground. The basket tipped over when it hit the ground, and the pilot and passenger exited the basket. The pilot used the on-board fire extinguisher to put out the fire that was still burning at the hose-burner connection. The pilot reported that once the balloon was removed from the power lines, he retrieved the envelope and basket. He disconnected the fuel lines and the pilot light line while the ground crew put the envelope away. During the inspection of the balloon, the burner and basket were reassembled. The pilot reconnected the fuel lines and the pilot light line. During the burner operational check there were no propane leaks and the burner functioned. Pictures of the propane bottle provided by the fire department appeared to show frost on the pilot light valve.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The in-flight fire due to the loose fuel line connection as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight. A factor was the power lines.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/1/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1909 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Indianola |
| Event State | IOWA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 50125 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 413610N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0935657W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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 Docket Number (internal use) | 19872 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 28 2006 1:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3219T |
| NTSB Number | CHI05CA209 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | National Ballooning |
| Aircraft Model | 751-12 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0124 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Balloon |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 293 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Kelly B. Shaw |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2603 Springdale Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Columbia |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 65202 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Indianloa |
| Departure State | IA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 25 2005 2:09PM |
| 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 | -- |