ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 187636
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| Date: | Friday 10 June 1994 |
| Time: | 20:31 |
| Type: |  Thunder AX3 Maxi Sky Chariot |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-BIBZ |
| MSN: | 290 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Fishmoor Reservoir, Near Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Warton, Lancashire (WRT/EGNO) |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (destroyed) 10-6-1994 when collided with overhead power lines and broke apart Near Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. The pilot (the sole person on board) was killed. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"After the take off, which was normal, the retrieval crew established radio contact with the pilot of G-BIBZ, who stated that he was just about to cross Blackburn. The flight appeared uneventful, and later the pilot stated over the radio that his flight path would take him across the Fishmoor reservoir, and that he would be looking for a landing site soon after.
As the retrieval crew passed to the south of the Fishmoor Reservoir and they saw G-BIBZ about one mile ahead, flying at an altitude of between 200 and 300 feet agl. Shortly afterwards, whilst about 1/2 mile from the path of the balloon, they observed G-BIBZ strike a set of power lines, their attention being drawn by a cascade of sparks. They then saw the 'chair' portion of the balloon, carrying the pilot, swing and detach from the envelope. The 'chair' portion of the balloon fell to the ground, and the envelope portion of the balloon flew away from the wires.
The retrieval crew then turned back to a telephone box that they had just passed, and called the emergency services. One of the witnesses to the accident was a police officer, who went to the pilot (who was still in the 'chair' portion of the balloon) and attempted resuscitation, but to no avail. An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards, but the pilot was pronounced 'dead on arrival' at Blackburn Royal Infirmary"
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB "failure of 'flying wires'; damage to 'balloon chair' from free fall". As a result, the registration G-BIBZ was cancelled by the CAA on 13-9-1994 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/5422f77ced915d1371000665/Thunder_AX3_Maxi_Sky_Chariot__G-BIBZ_10-94.pdf
2. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BIBZ.pdf
3. https://www.basketless.eu/gb/gbibz
4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/egbj/7236351034
5. https://www.airhistory.net/photo/17250/G-BIBZ
6. https://www.landscapebritain.co.uk/location/fishmoor-reservoir/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-May-2016 22:56 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 26-May-2016 17:27 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 27-May-2016 14:22 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-May-2016 14:23 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-May-2016 14:24 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Sep-2022 12:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Category] |
| 09-Sep-2022 12:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
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