Aerostar S-55A N3607B

Summary

On 13 August 1997 at about 13:45 local time, a Aerostar S-55A registered N3607B was involved in an accident near Marana, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 August 1997 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Marana, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

32.4508, -111.2894

Aircraft

Aerostar S-55A

Registration

N3607B

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

LAX97LA287

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's in-flight planning/decision to continue his flight after striking a fence, and his inability to attain the proper climb rate, which subsequently led to the in-flight collision with the transmission power line.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the balloon departed from a field with one passenger during his second flight of the day and collided with a power line. He landed upwind of some nearby power lines during his first landing. He said that immediately after takeoff the balloon basket contacted and subsequently cleared a fence during the initial climb. The pilot stated in a postaccident interview that the flight should have been aborted after coming into contact with the fence, but he elected to continue. The balloon continued to climb but at a slow rate, even with the double burners. The balloon came into contact with the power line at 50 to 60 feet above ground level. The power line broke and came into contact with the fuel tank, which ignited the propane and propagated an in-flight fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.