Hydrogen-Filled Balloon Catches Fire After Contact with Power Line
A Worner 1000 STU gas balloon, of German registry D-OAGH, piloted by a commercial pilot was substantially damaged during landing, when the hydrogen-filled envelope came in contact with a power line, caught fire, and burned. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The balloon was a participant in a racing event associated with the annual Albuquerque Balloon Festival and was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and copilot reported no injuries. The balloon departed Albuquerque, New Mexico, on October 6, 2001, at 2000 mountain daylight time. The accident occurred on October 7, 2001, at 1451 central daylight time.
Event Date
October 7, 2001
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
A commercial pilot was substantially damaged during landing, when the hydrogen-filled envelope came in contact with a power line, caught fire, and burned.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
gas balloon
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Unknown
Operational Condition
Pre-event Summary
The balloon pilot was provided a detailed weather briefing prior to the flight which called for light and variable winds. Soon after departure, the winds increased from 4-6 knots to 6-8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot flew around waiting for winds to subside to no avail. The pilot was forced to land with the prevailing high winds when he started getting low on fuel.
Currency
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions during cruise flight and the unsuitable landing area encountered during the uncontrolled descent.Factors relating to this accident were the high wind, the pilot's unsuccessful attempt to compensate for the wind conditions, the pilot's unsuccessful attempt to avoid the power lines during the landing, and the power lines.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
None
Ignition Source
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Flame Length (m)
20.00
Source Category
References
References
The original NTSB report is unavailable on the NTSB site, but it is reported also by the Plane Crash Map
https://planecrashmap.com/plane/ks/D-OAGH/
(accessed May 2020)