Avian MAGNUM IX N20146

Summary

On 3 August 1997 at about 14:05 local time, a Avian MAGNUM IX registered N20146, operated by Roger Stadtmueller, was involved in an accident near Donald, Oregon, United States. 8 people were on board and one died, 7 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 August 1997 at 14:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Donald, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.2206, -122.8294

Aircraft

Avian MAGNUM IX

Registration

N20146

Category

Balloon

Operator

Roger Stadtmueller

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aurora → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Not Reported

NTSB number

SEA97FA181

1 person died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.