Aerostar RX-7 N3578D
4 September 1994 · Fountain, Colorado, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 September 1994 at about 13:55 local time, a Aerostar RX-7 registered N3578D was involved in an accident near Fountain, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fountain, Colorado, United States
- Coordinates
- 38.6599, -104.6897
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX-7
- Registration
- N3578D
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Colo. Springs → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW94FA287
People
3 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING LANDING IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH WIND.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE BALLOON IN AN OPEN FIELD 'IN WIND CONDITIONS THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE BALLOON TO HAVE REMAINED UPRIGHT FOR A STAND UP LANDING.' GROUND CONTACT WAS HARDER THAN THE PILOT ANTICIPATED AND THE BASKET TIPPED OVER. A PASSENGER FELL OUT AND THE WIND DRAGGED THE BASKET OVER HER. AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE PASSENGER BACK INTO THE BASKET, SHE LOST HER BALANCE AND THE BALLOON ASCENDED WITH THE PILOT HOLDING ONTO THE VENT LINE. THE BALLOON CAME BACK DOWN AND THE PILOT FELL OUT. AS THE BALLOON WAS DRAGGED OVER THE PILOT, HER LEG BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE VENT LINE. THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF AND ASCENDED ABOUT 25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT DISENTANGLED HERSELF AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE CHASE CREW TOLD THE REMAINING PASSENGER TO PULL THE RIP CORD TO DEFLATE THE ENVELOPE. SHE DID AND THE BALLOON DESCENDED TO THE GROUND ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY. AN FAA INSPECTOR, AFTER VIEWING A VIDEO TAPE OF THE ACCIDENT, SAID THE LANDING WAS MADE IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT DID NOT USE A HIGH WIND LANDING TECHNIQUE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerostar RX-7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 1994 | Aerostar RX-7 | Augusta, Kansas, United States | Deal, Karen K. | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Dec 1989 | Aerostar RX-7 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Shluker, Steve | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Jul 1987 | Aerostar RX-7 | Crestwood, Kentucky, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Aerostar RX-7 | Reno, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jul 2004 | Aerostar RX-7 | Wausau, Wisconsin, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Oct 2009 | Aerostar RX-7 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 1994 | Bellanca 8KCAB-180 | Colo. Springs, Colorado, United States | Aerotech Flight Services | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Jan 1994 | Cessna 195 | Watkins, Colorado, United States | Hoghland, Vohs, and Murphy | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1994 | Bell 206L-3 | Cascade, Colorado, United States | Puget Sound Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 1 Feb 1994 | Cessna 182P | Meeker, Colorado, United States | Steamboat Flight Academy, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 1 Mar 1994 | Cessna 177RG | Longmont, Colorado, United States | Debruzzi, Michael S. | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 1994 | Rockwell 690C | Hayden, Colorado, United States | Casper Air Service | No injuries | - |