Lindstrand Balloons 150A accident near Phoenixville, PA
On September 7, 2008, a Lindstrand Balloons 150A (balloon) was involved in an accident near Phoenixville, PA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 7, 2008
- Place
- Phoenixville, PA
- Aircraft
- Lindstrand Balloons 150A · Balloon
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 4 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 40.129°N, 75.595°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080922X01516
Official records · NYC08FA307
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 7, 2008, at 1836 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Lindstrand Balloons USA Model 150A, N844LB, was substantially damaged by fire during landing. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured, four passengers were seriously injured, and three passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight which departed from an empty lot approximately 5 miles from the accident location. The sightseeing flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. One of the passenger's video taped the set-up and preflight of the balloon. The pilot was seen releasing, on two separate occasions, a "black helium type" balloon, known as "pible," and watching their direction of travel, connecting the hoses to the tank valves, routing the hoses up the side of the basket to the burner, and testing the burner as part of his preflight actions. The video also showed the inflation of the envelope utilizing a portable circular fan, which was the procedure required during the inflation process. The operator utilized some of the passengers to assist in the process, by having them hold the envelope open during the inflation process. Numerous passengers reported that after the balloon envelope was inflated the ground personnel required the seven passengers to "expeditiously" get in to the two compartment basket. During this process there were two passengers in the front compartment with the pilot and five in the rear compartment. The ground personnel moved one of the passe
Probable cause
The separation of a portion of a fuel fitting during a hard landing resulting in release of fuel and a fire in the balloons basket area. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's published procedures to shut down the fuel system prior to landing and the operator's installation of a third fuel tank and the fuel fitting that separated during the hard landing.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
