Balloon Works AX-8B N9033H

Summary

On 1 March 1997 at about 15:15 local time, a Balloon Works AX-8B registered N9033H, operated by Gary B. Eaton, was involved in an accident near Parker, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 March 1997 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Parker, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

34.0799, -114.2205

Aircraft

Balloon Works AX-8B

Registration

N9033H

Category

Balloon

Operator

Gary B. Eaton

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX97LA118

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning, which resulted in an excessive descent and subsequent hard landing, due to a drop in fuel pressure along with shifting winds at low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After about 15 minutes on a 'Hare and Hound' flight, the pilot noticed a drop in fuel pressure (while flying at a low altitude). He switched fuel tanks, but the balloon had begun to descend. The pilot attempted to stop the descent by using a good tank, but the balloon continued to lose altitude and landed hard on flat terrain, before the descent could be stopped. The pilot and other pilots reported low level wind shear in the area at the time. No mechanical malfunction was reported.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.