Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania 19460
Sunday, September 7, 2008 18:36 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to the flight the pilot was observed expressing concerns over the wind direction that would have them track toward Phoenixville. While in flight the pilot was in communication with ground personnel and he did not mention any trouble. The pilot told several of the passengers that the wind was taking them in the direction of Phoenixville and the flight was going to be "cut short." One passenger reported that the balloon "headed to the ground too fast," and another passenger was told by the pilot "don't get out under any circumstances." The balloon basket struck the tops of pine trees that surrounded the field in which they were trying to land, impacted the ground "very hard," bounced, tilted toward one side, bounced again, up righted, then tilted over, and came to rest on the side of the basket containing the fuel cylinders. Several passengers reported immediately after the first bounce the heat inside the basket was "extremely intense," and the pilot had told everyone to "get out." Fire was present in the basket area. Several passengers reported having difficulty exiting since several of the passengers had fallen on top of each other. Examination showed a fuel fitting had separated the fuel delivery system. Components from the fuel delivery system were submitted to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory for analysis. The material of the fitting body and female end of the fitting was consistent with brass and was fractured due to overstress. The manufacturer's checklist requires that "immediately before touchdown, turn off the pilot lights and if possible close the liquid valves and vent the fuel lines." One valve was in the full open position after the accident. The balloon had been modified by the operator by installation of a third fuel tank and the fitting that was found separated. The mechanic that performed the last inspection on the balloon reported that the owner utilized three different manufacturer's fuel tanks.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The separation of a portion of a fuel fitting during a hard landing resulting in release of fuel and a fire in the balloons basket area. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's published procedures to shut down the fuel system prior to landing and the operator's installation of a third fuel tank and the fuel fitting that separated during the hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/7/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1836 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Phoenixville |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19460 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400744N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0753542W |
| 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 | 1840 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 89 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LOM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 302 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 4 |
| Injury Total All | 8 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26461 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 7 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 30 2009 3:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Philadelphia FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N844LB |
| NTSB Number | NYC08FA307 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Lindstrand Balloons |
| Aircraft Model | 150A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 28 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 38 |
| Airframe Hours | 262 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Air Venture Balloon Rides, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Millsboro |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19966 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Air Venture Balloon Rides, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Millsboro |
| Operator State | DE |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19966 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Chester Springs |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1808 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Phoenixville |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 30 2009 3:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |