Aerostar AX-9 N63164
22 April 1993 · Calistoga, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 22 April 1993 at about 15:20 local time, a Aerostar AX-9 registered N63164, operated by Michael Carnevale, was involved in an accident near Calistoga, California, United States. 6 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Calistoga, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 38.6201, -122.6105
- Aircraft
- Aerostar AX-9
- Registration
- N63164
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Michael Carnevale
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX93LA188
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Probable cause
THE BALLOON'S ENCOUNTER WITH HIGHER THAN FORECAST WINDS WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE BALLOON BASKET WITH A RECESSED AREA WHICH PREVENTED ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE INJURED PASSENGER'S FOOT DURING THE LANDING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT SAID THAT THE PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING CONTAINED A FORECAST FOR WINDS WELL WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE OF THE BALLOON'S NORMAL OPERATING ENVELOPE. THE PILOT SAID AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, HIS GROUND CREW REPORTED AN INCREASE IN THE SURFACE WINDS TO ABOUT EIGHT KNOTS. THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT AS HE PREPARED FOR AN APPROACH HE NOTED THAT SEVERAL BALLOONS ON THE GROUND WERE LAYING OVER. THE PILOT SAID HE SELECTED A LARGE FIELD AND BRIEFED HIS PASSENGERS ON A HIGH WIND LANDING. AT A POINT ABOUT EIGHT FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE WINDS INCREASED TO 12 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME THE WIND EFFECTS AND THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE INJURED PASSENGER'S FOOT WAS PLACED IN A RECESSED AREA OF THE BASKET FLOOR WHICH DID NOT ALLOW FOR ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT. ON GROUND TOUCHDOWN, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A DISLOCATION FRACTURE OF THAT ANKLE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerostar AX-9 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 1992 | Aerostar AX-9 | Hopkinton, Massachusetts, United States | Mario Distefano | No injuries | - |
| 24 May 1992 | Aerostar AX-9-S-66A | Southhampton, New Jersey, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul 1993 | Cessna 310H | Lancaster, California, United States | Yehiem Konski | Fatal | 6 |
| 14 Nov 1993 | Cessna 182 | Colusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1993 | Cessna 172P | Sun City, California, United States | Hiser Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Jul 1993 | Robinson R44 | El Monte, California, United States | Benjamin F. Venti, SR. | Fatal | 3 |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Piper PA-38-112 | Fresno, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1993 | Beechcraft A35 | Tulare, California, United States | Rent and Lease Programs | Fatal | 2 |