Aerostar RX-8 N4031A
15 May 2001 · Sterling, Colorado, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 15 May 2001 at about 13:45 local time, a Aerostar RX-8 registered N4031A was involved in an accident near Sterling, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sterling, Colorado, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.6199, -103.1904
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX-8
- Registration
- N4031A
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sterling → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN01LA099
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
failure by the pilot to control descent rate during approach to land. A factor was a temperature inversion.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
At the completion of a local area passenger flight, the balloon encountered a temperature inversion during approach. The pilot did not adequately adjust for the increased rate of descent and a hard landing occurred. The pilot was thrown from the balloon and one of the passengers jumped. The balloon then ascended and the balloon crew chief talked the remaining passenger through a successful landing. The pilot received serious injuries and her two passengers minor injuries.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerostar RX-8 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 2003 | Aerostar RX-8 | Snowmass Villag, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Oct 2003 | Aerostar RX-8 | Ithaca, New York, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Jun 2003 | Aerostar RX 8 | Grove City, Ohio, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 2003 | Aerostar RX-8 | Bossier City, Louisiana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 2005 | Aerostar RX-8 | Denton, Texas, United States | Ronald L. Thompson | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Oct 2005 | Aerostar RX-8 | Globe, Arizona, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar 2001 | Cessna T210L | Howard, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Luscombe 8E | Longmont, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Sep 2001 | Boeing A75N1 (PT17) | Watkins, Colorado, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Nov 2001 | Esbenshade STARDUSTER TOO SA300 | Evans, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2001 | Aviat A-1 | Montrose, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Aug 2001 | Bradley RANS S-7 | Fruita, Colorado, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |