Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hampton, Iowa 50441
Friday, November 16, 2007 9:15 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The cross country flight in the helium balloon began two days prior to the accident. The surviving passenger stated that the accident occurred as they were landing on the second morning of the flight. He stated that they began a three to four mile "stair-step" approach for landing. The approach consisted of repeatedly dropping ballast, venting, and leveling off. He stated that the approach was well controlled and they were not in a hurry to land. The passenger stated that they saw the power lines during the approach and the pilot asked him to drop a half of scoop, about two cups, of sand. Shortly thereafter, the pilot asked him to drop another half of a scoop, which he did. The pilot then instructed him to drop half of a bag of sand. He stated that they thought the balloon was going to clear the power lines. When it became evident that they were going to contact the lines, the pilot instructed both passengers to get into the bottom of the gondola. The passenger stated that the side of the gondola hit the top cable of the power lines and the power lines wedged between the balloon cables and the top of the gondola. He stated that the balloon remained entangled in the power lines for several minutes. He then heard a snap and the gondola fell to the ground.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning which resulted in the failure to maintain clearance with the power lines. Contributing to the accident was the power line.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/16/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 915 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Hampton |
| Event State | IOWA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 50441 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 430928N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931953W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 915 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 255 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FOD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1157 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 43 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.79 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24160 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 16 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2008 3:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Des Moines, IA FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4448Y |
| NTSB Number | CHI08LA037 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | -- |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Padelt |
| Aircraft Model | PG37-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3898 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Balloon |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 235 |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Thomas Boylan |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Collins |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80524 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Greeley |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2330 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Hampton |
| Destination State | IA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2008 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |