Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
French Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Temecula, California 92591
Friday, February 17, 2012 8:15 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot launched from a field with eight passengers for a commercial hot air balloon flight. He planned to conduct a 60-minute flight, followed by a landing at one of the operator's known landing areas. According to the pilot, about 50 minutes into the flight, he initiated an approach for landing at one of the planned locations,and, during the descent, he obtained an automated weather observation from an airport located about 6 miles to the northwest. During the approach, the pilot determined that the wind speed and direction would not permit a landing at his first intended site. He added heat, leveled out about 50 feet above ground level, and headed for a second landing site. As he neared that site, another pilot who had landed at that site advised him that the wind had increased, so he decided to continue to a third landing site. During the climb and transit to the third site, the balloon struck some electrical wires. The balloon remained entangled in the wires for a few seconds and then descended to the ground. A postaccident examination of the balloon revealed that 3 of the 12 cables between the basket and the envelope were severed, 3 cables under the basket were severed, and 14 fabric panels received various amounts of damage. The pilot stated that he had been subjected to "target fixation" on the third landing site, and did not see the power lines.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot failed to see and avoid a set of power lines while maneuvering to a landing site.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/17/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 815 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Temecula |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92591 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 333154N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1170300W |
| Event Location Airport | French Valley Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | F70 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1350 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 800 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | F70 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1350 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| 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) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.26 |
| 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 | 9 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29877 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Aircraft Operator |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 22 2012 7:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N49CD |
| NTSB Number | WPR12CA173 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LINDSTRAND |
| Aircraft Model | LBL180A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | NO SERIES |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 025 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3586 |
| 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 | 9 |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 18 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1391 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David Lee Bradley Productions Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Temecula |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92591 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | David Lee Bradley Productions Inc |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Temecula |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 92591 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Temecula |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 715 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | F70 |
| Destination City | Temecula |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 16 2012 4:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |