Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Janesville, Wisconsin 53548
Thursday, April 12, 2012 19:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, he attempted to abort the landing when he saw that he was getting too close to the powerlines. He said he used a “continuous burn” to abort the landing; however, when it became apparent that the balloon would still hit the powerlines, he initiated an emergency descent. The balloon hit the powerlines and then descended to the ground. The impact with the powerlines caused an arc flash that burned the lower 20 percent of the balloon envelope.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the powerlines while landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/12/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1900 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Janesville |
| Event State | WISCONSIN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 53548 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 424029N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0890223W |
| 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 | 1845 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KJVL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 808 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KJVL 130145Z 07007KT 10SM CLR 10/M02 A3015 R |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31118 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Direct notification from the p |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 1 2013 11:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N70451 |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA248 |
| 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 | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC |
| Aircraft Model | RAVEN S49A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S49A-3193 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1300 |
| 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 | Apr 19 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 253 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BUSHELLE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4042 SARATOGA DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | JANESVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 53546-1439 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BUSHELLE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 4042 SARATOGA DR |
| Operator City | JANESVILLE |
| Operator State | WI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 53546-1439 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Janesville |
| Departure State | WI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1840 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Janesville |
| Destination State | WI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 9 2013 10:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |