Aerostar S49A N6316U

Summary

On 31 December 1999 at about 15:45 local time, a Aerostar S49A registered N6316U, operated by Deborah A. Husby, was involved in an accident near Flandreau, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 December 1999 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Flandreau, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

44.0403, -96.5890

Aircraft

Aerostar S49A

Registration

N6316U

Category

Balloon

Operator

Deborah A. Husby

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brandon → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI00LA054

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and the burner becoming disconnected from the balloon's frame. A contributing factor was the high wind condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was coming in to land in a field 6 miles south of Flandreau, South Dakota. During the landing attempt, a wind gust collapsed the front of the envelope. The pilot said at that point she knew she was committed to that field and 'that it would be a rough, high-wind landing.' The balloon touched down and 'rebounded.' The pilot pulled in the redline to deflate the envelope. When the balloon touched down the second time, it began to drag along the ground. 'As I was reaching up with my right hand to continue pulling the redline in more, I saw the burner come completely off it's mounting and fall down toward the basket.' The pilot said that there was a flame coming from the burner. 'I continued dragging for 3 or 4 seconds trying to stop the balloon and batting the burner away. It slowed enough so I could get out and I saw the skirt, the lower edge of the envelope and the upper cordura was burned/burning.' Examination of the balloon revealed no anomalies. The Aviation Routine Weather Report for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 25 miles from the accident site at 188 degrees, 11 minutes after the accident, was clear skies, 10 miles visibility, and winds 150 degrees at 12 knots. A witness who was flying at the same time in another balloon, said that when he was landing 'the ground wind speed quickly increased on one approach to near 15 miles per hour.' When the witness did land his balloon, 'the winds were back in the vicinity of 10 miles per hour.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.