Aerostar RX-7 N53081
13 September 2024 · Amsterdam, New York, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 September 2024 at about 22:35 local time, a Aerostar RX-7 registered N53081 was involved in an accident near Amsterdam, New York, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 22:35
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Amsterdam, New York, United States
- Coordinates
- 42.9544, -74.0119
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX-7
- Registration
- N53081
- Category
- Balloon
- Year built
- 2002
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Charlton → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA24LA382
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from powerlines during final approach for landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he launched his hot air balloon for a brief solo flight with the intent of practicing maneuvers during calm wind conditions. Shortly after departure, he prepared for landing on a spot about 1/4-mile away that consisted of a flat harvested corn field. During the landing approach, he observed a powerline perpendicular to his final approach and landing target. He initially thought about climbing, but realized the balloon would not react fast enough, so he opened the vent to deflate the envelope and descend. The balloon envelope did not vent quickly enough and the balloon drifted into the powerlines, resulting in electrical arcing until the electrical breaker shut off. The basket settled onto the ground and the balloon envelope remained partially inflated and draped over the powerlines. The arcing resulted in substantial damage to the balloon; 6 cables were severed and there were multiple burn holes in the envelope. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the balloon that would have precluded normal operation or performance.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerostar RX-7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 2019 | Aerostar RX 7 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Oct 2009 | Aerostar RX-7 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Jul 2004 | Aerostar RX-7 | Wausau, Wisconsin, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Aerostar RX-7 | Reno, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1994 | Aerostar RX-7 | Augusta, Kansas, United States | Deal, Karen K. | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 1994 | Aerostar RX-7 | Fountain, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul 2024 | Mooney M20J | Montauk, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Apr 2024 | Airbus A330 | Queens, New York, United States | Swiss International Air Lines | Unknown | - |
| 10 Feb 2024 | Boeing 777-222ER | Kelsey, New York, United States | United Airlines Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 2024 | Beechcraft A36 | Ronkonkoma, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Aug 2024 | Cessna 182 | Shelter Island, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 2024 | Textron 208B | New York, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |