ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 43135
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| Date: | Sunday 3 August 1997 |
| Time: | 07:05 LT |
| Type: | Avian Magnum IX |
| Owner/operator: | Roger Stadtmueller |
| Registration: | N20146 |
| MSN: | 184 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 198 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental%20IO-520-BA12B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Donald, OR -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Aurora, OR |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
While attempting to land on the edge of an open field under near-calm conditions, the pilot allowed the balloon to settle into the top of a coniferous tree. As the balloon settled into the tree, the gondola tipped to the side and the Nomex panel and horizontal load tape around the mouth of the envelope became snagged in the tree. As the gondola tipped, the seams on approximately half of the vertical load tapes were exposed to burner heat hot enough to cause failure of the seam thread, and the remainder of the vertical load tape seams failed as the balloon and the gondola pulled against the snagged horizontal load tape. When the last vertical load tape failed, the gondola separated from the envelope. After separating from the envelope, the gondola fell through the tree and impacted the ground.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree that was located on the edge of the field in which he was attempting to land.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB SEA97FA181
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 13:46 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, Plane category, Category, Accident report] |
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