Ballonbau Worner Gmbh NL-1000/STU accident near Adriatic Sea, A1
On September 29, 2010, a Ballonbau Worner Gmbh NL-1000/STU (balloon) was involved in an accident near Adriatic Sea, A1. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 29, 2010
- Place
- Adriatic Sea, A1
- Aircraft
- Ballonbau Worner Gmbh NL-1000/STU · Balloon
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.168°N, 16.137°E
- NTSB ID
- 20101004X10735
Official records · ERA10LA511
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 29, 2010, at 0606 coordinated universal time, a Ballonbau Worner hydrogen-filled balloon, N801NM, operated by Peak Express Balloon as an entry in the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett 2010 International Gas Balloon Race, was lost from Italian air traffic control (ATC) radar over international waters of the Adriatic Sea. The balloon and the pilots were located on December 6, 2010. The balloon was destroyed and the commercial pilot and commercial-rated copilot were killed. A range of meteorological conditions prevailed over the 4 days of the flight that originated at Bristol, England, on September 25, 2010, at 2329 coordinated universal time. According to the Italian Agenzia Nazionale Per La Scurezza del Volo (ANSV), the last radio and radar contact between the Brindisi, Italy, air traffic control center and the balloon occurred at 0606. The target identified as the missing balloon was descending at a high rate when it was lost from radar about 42 degrees, 10 minutes north latitude, and 16 degrees, 8 minutes east longitude. Examination of communications transcripts from Italian air traffic control revealed that the crew reported thunder and lightning in the vicinity of their balloon in the final minutes of the flight. At 0602, the pilot reported, " we are now being pushed down by the snow quite fast so just to put you aware of, we don’t have a problem just yet but it’s not a real good situation for us so we’ll keep you posted.” At 0606, the pilot reported the balloon was tracking 187 degrees magnetic at 13 knots, and "we are going down quite fas
Probable cause
The crew's intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions, which resulted in destruction of the balloon envelope by lightning strike and the subsequent uncontrolled descent to the sea.
More accidents in A1
Browse: A1
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
