Thunder and Colt AX8-90 N90EH

Summary

On 4 September 1988 at about 14:30 local time, a Thunder and Colt AX8-90 registered N90EH was involved in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. 5 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

4 September 1988 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

32.2898, -106.7492

Aircraft

Thunder and Colt AX8-90

Registration

N90EH

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN88LA200

2 people 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 BALLOON PLT WAS PARTICIPATING IN A BALLOON RALLY. DURING LANDING, THE PLT NOTICED THE BALLOON WAS DRIFTING TOWARD POWER LINES. HE ELECTED TO OPEN THE DEFLATION VALVE AT 30 FT AGL, TO ATTEMPT TO LAND SHORT OF THE LINES. THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN 50 FT FROM THE LINES AND CONTINUED TO BE DRAGGED TOWARD THEM. THE BASKET CAME TO REST 30 FT FROM THE LINES, AND AS THE PASSENGERS DEPARTED THE BASKET, THE ENVELOPE CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINES. THE PYROMETER CABLE CARRIED CURRENT DOWN TO THE BASKET INJURING ONE PASSENGER AND THE GROUND CREWMAN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.