Piccard AX-6 N99US

Summary

On 3 October 1988 at about 14:50 local time, a Piccard AX-6 registered N99US, operated by Conn, Richard C., was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. 3 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

3 October 1988 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.0608, -106.6204

Aircraft

Piccard AX-6

Registration

N99US

Category

Balloon

Operator

Conn, Richard C.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN89LA003

1 person had minor injuries.

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 COMMERCIAL PLT WAS COMPETING IN A BALLOON FIESTA, WITH 2 PAX. THE PLT SELECTED A LANDING FIELD WITH POWER LINES AND A STREET RUNNING EAST AND WEST ACROSS IT. THE BALLOON WAS DRIFTING SOUTH AND THE PLT SELECTED THE SOUTH END OF THE FIELD FOR LANDING, REQUIRING THE FLIGHT PATH TO CROSS OVER THE LINES. DURING THE DESCENT FROM 200 FT AGL, THE PLT APPLIED HEAT TO LEVEL OFF SO THE BALLOON WOULD CLEAR THE POWER LINE IN THE FLIGHT PATH. THE PLT SAID THE ELEVATION MADE THE BALLOON'S RESPONSE SLUGGISH AND THE BASKET DESCENDED BELOW THE POWER LINES. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB BY ADDING MORE HEAT, THEN DEFLATED THE BALLOON TO STRIKE THE LINES WITH THE ENVELOPE RATHER THEN THE BASKET. THE ENVELOPE HIT THE LINES AND BURNED. THE BASKET HUNG 20 FT OFF THE GROUND FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, THEN SLID TO THE GROUND. MOLTEN MATERIAL FROM THE BURNING ENVELOPE FELL ON THE PAX AS THEY EXITED THE BASKET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.