Piccard AX-6 N2496Z
6 June 1987 · Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 6 June 1987 at about 11:21 local time, a Piccard AX-6 registered N2496Z, operated by Robert Vannewkirk, was involved in an accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 11:21
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
- Coordinates
- 39.1703, -77.1793
- Aircraft
- Piccard AX-6
- Registration
- N2496Z
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Robert Vannewkirk
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Germantown → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- BFO87LA041
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
AFTER TWO ABORTED LANDINGS THE PILOT SAW A FIELD IN THE DISTANCE AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND. ALTHOUGH TWO OTHER BALLOONS HAD LANDED NEARBY, THE FIELD HE WAS BLOWN TOWARDS HAD NUMEROUS POWERLINES SURROUNDING IT, SOME OF THEM AT TREETOP HEIGHT. DURING THE APPROACH FOR LANDING THE BALLOON CONTACTED A 69,000 VOLT POWERLINE, CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED AFTER GROUND CONTACT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piccard AX-6 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 1988 | Piccard AX-6 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Conn, Richard C. | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 1989 | Piccard AX-6 | Houston, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Mar 1983 | Piccard AX-6 | Springtown, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 1983 | Piccard AX-6 | Louisvile, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jul 1983 | Piccard AX-6 | Azle, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Jan 1983 | Piccard AX-6 | Arroyo Grande, California, United States | William G. Hart | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar 1987 | McDonnell Douglas MD-80 | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | American Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 10 Feb 1987 | Cessna 152C | Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States | Aero Flight Ltd. | No injuries | - |
| 6 May 1987 | Piper PA-28-161 | Frederick, Maryland, United States | International Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 1987 | Cessna 152 | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | Computer Flight Inst. Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 1987 | Striplin SKY RANGER | Easton, Maryland, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Jul 1987 | Piper PA-28 | Mitchellville, Maryland, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |