Head Balloons AX9-118 N3106K
31 July 2008 · Cook, Minnesota, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 31 July 2008 at about 13:30 local time, a Head Balloons AX9-118 registered N3106K was involved in an accident near Cook, Minnesota, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Cook, Minnesota, United States
- Coordinates
- 47.9456, -92.6244
- Aircraft
- Head Balloons AX9-118
- Registration
- N3106K
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Lake Vermilion → Cook
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI08CA227
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to land in a confined area. Contributing to the accident were the hidden power transmission lines and the confined landing site.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After a 15-20 minute balloon flight, the pilot began to look for a suitable landing area. The selected landing area was a road within a heavily wooded area. The pilot said that he did not see the power transmission lines that were hidden in the tree line alongside the road. During the landing, the surface winds blew the balloon envelope "in close proximity to the wires." According to the pilot, about five minutes after landing the balloon envelope lost enough hot air that it deflated on lines and caught on fire. An eyewitness reported seeing the balloon flying low over the forested area and then very thick black smoke. The pilot told local law enforcement that the balloon envelope contacted the power transmission lines before the basket touched-down. The law enforcement accident report stated that there was a "small showering of sparks and a very small flame" when the balloon envelope came in contact with the power lines. The balloon envelope was destroyed by the ensuing fire.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Head Balloons AX9 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2010 | Head Balloons AX9 118 | Hanover, New Hampshire, United States | Daoust Darrek N | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Mar 2010 | Head Balloons AX9 118 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Mar 1994 | Head Balloons AX9-118 | Sedona, Arizona, United States | Northern Light Balloon Expedit | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 2008 | Piper PA-28-161 | Crookston, Minnesota, United States | UND Aerospace Foundation | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Cessna 180 | Eveleth, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 2008 | Piper PA-22-150 | Wadena, Minnesota, United States | Robert Wild | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jul 2008 | Kolb MARK II | Chisholm, Minnesota, United States | Ronald J. Cappo | Serious injuries | - |
| 31 Jul 2008 | Raytheon Corporate Jets BAE 125-800A | Owatonna, Minnesota, United States | East Coast Jets Inc., | Fatal | 8 |
| 11 Aug 2008 | Piper PA-25-235 | Cosmos, Minnesota, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |