ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 366120
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| Date: | Saturday 29 September 1990 |
| Time: | 09:00 LT |
| Type: |  Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 |
| Owner/operator: | Robert Barbarick |
| Registration: | N90902 |
| MSN: | F9-039 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Vacaville, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | (NONE) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE TWO FLIGHTS CONDUCTED EARLIER IN THE MORNING WERE NORMAL WITH WINDS IN THE 4 MPH RANGE. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE WINDS SUDDENLY INCREASED FROM 4 TO 12 MPH. THE PILOT THEN SAID, 'INSTANTLY, WITHOUT INDICATION, A WHIRLWIND CAUGHT THE BALLOON AND SPUN IT 360 DEGREES; A DOWNDRAFT OCCURRED WITH A DESCENT RATE OF 500 FEET PER MINUTE.' THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT AND THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH A SET OF POWER LINES, THEN THE GROUND.
Probable Cause: THE BALLOON'S ENCOUNTER WITH A SUDDEN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED ACCOMPAINED BY A STRONG DOWN DRAFT BEYOND THE COMPENSATION CAPABILITY OF THE BALLOON.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX90LA340
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Mar-2024 17:34 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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