Worner 1000 STU D-OAGH

Summary

On 7 October 2001 at about 19:51 local time, a Worner 1000 STU registered D-OAGH was involved in an accident near Liberal, Kansas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 October 2001 at 19:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Liberal, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

37.0314, -100.8497

Aircraft

Worner 1000 STU

Registration

D-OAGH

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Race/Show

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Liberal

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI02LA002

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions during cruise flight and the unsuitable landing area encountered during the uncontrolled descent. Factors relating to this accident were the high wind, the pilot's unsuccessful attempt to compensate for the wind conditions, the pilot's unsuccessful attempt to avoid the power lines during the landing, and the power lines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said their gas balloon was cruising at 3,000 feet agl over the Liberal, Kansas, area when they experienced a microburst. The pilot said they suddenly found themselves heading for the ground at a very high rate of descent. The pilot said they dropped ballast to try and slow their descent. He said he then saw that his angle of descent was going to take the balloon into power lines along a road. The pilot said he opened the vent and put the basket on the road. The envelope went into the power lines, tore open, caught fire, and burned. At the time of the accident the aviation routine weather report for Dodge City, Kansas, 60 miles northeast of the accident site, reported clear skies, 10 miles visibility, and winds of 180 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The report also stated in the remarks that peak winds of 31 knots were recorded at 1600. The balloon was part of a gas balloon race associated with the annual Albuquerque Balloon Festival in which the contestants try to cover the farthest distance within a three day period.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.