Piccard AX-6 N16JF

Summary

On 13 August 1983 at about 11:35 local time, a Piccard AX-6 registered N16JF was involved in an accident near Louisvile, Kentucky, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 August 1983 at 11:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Louisvile, Kentucky, United States

Coordinates

38.2697, -85.6204

Aircraft

Piccard AX-6

Registration

N16JF

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL83LA325

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AT 0600 EDT & NOTED NOTHING SIGNIFICANT THAT WOULD BE A HAZARD TO FLT. HE PROCEEDED TO LONG RUN PARK, APRX 20 MI EAST OF LOUISVILLE, KY, TO LAUNCH THE BALLON. THERE WAS A 654 FOOT TOWER IN THE VICINITY, BUT THE PLT BELIEVED THE NORTHERLY, 5 KT WIND WOULD CARRY THE BALLOON WELL CLEAR. HE STATED THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE BALLOON BEGAN PROCEEDING ON A PARALLEL COURSE, WELL CLEAR OF THE TOWER. IT THEN ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND-SHIFT & BEGAN DRIFTING TOWARD THE TOWER WITH INCREASING SPEED. THE PLT ELECTED TO CLIMB TO AVOID THE TOWER. BOTH BLAST VALVES WERE OPENED TO CLIMB AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE & A CLIMB RATE OF 900 TO 1000 FT.MIN WAS OBTAINED. HOWEVER, THE WIND SPEED CONTINUED TO INCREASE. AFTER REALIZING THAT AVOIDANCE WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE, HE SHUT OFF THE BLAST VALVES & PREPARED FOR A COLLISION. THE BALLOON STRUCK THE TOWER APRX 20 FT FROM THE TOP, THE PLT CLIMBED ONTO THE TOWER STAIRCASE & DESCENDED ON FOOT. THE BALLOON WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.