Piccard AX-6 accident near Louisvile, Kentucky, August 13, 1983
On August 13, 1983 at about 11:35 am local time, a Piccard AX-6 (balloon), registered N16JF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisvile, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1983 · about 11:35 am local time
- Place
- Louisvile, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piccard AX-6 · all AX-6s on the register
- Registration
- N16JF · no longer on the register · serial 736
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AT 0600 EDT & NOTED NOTHING SIGNIFICANT THAT WOULD BE A HAZARD TO FLT. HE PROCEEDED TO LONG RUN PARK, APRX 20 MI EAST OF LOUISVILLE, KY, TO LAUNCH THE BALLON. THERE WAS A 654 FOOT TOWER IN THE VICINITY, BUT THE PLT BELIEVED THE NORTHERLY, 5 KT WIND WOULD CARRY THE BALLOON WELL CLEAR. HE STATED THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE BALLOON BEGAN PROCEEDING ON A PARALLEL COURSE, WELL CLEAR OF THE TOWER. IT THEN ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND-SHIFT & BEGAN DRIFTING TOWARD THE TOWER WITH INCREASING SPEED. THE PLT ELECTED TO CLIMB TO AVOID THE TOWER. BOTH BLAST VALVES WERE OPENED TO CLIMB AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE & A CLIMB RATE OF 900 TO 1000 FT.MIN WAS OBTAINED. HOWEVER, THE WIND SPEED CONTINUED TO INCREASE. AFTER REALIZING THAT AVOIDANCE WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE, HE SHUT OFF THE BLAST VALVES & PREPARED FOR A COLLISION. THE BALLOON STRUCK THE TOWER APRX 20 FT FROM THE TOP, THE PLT CLIMBED ONTO THE TOWER STAIRCASE & DESCENDED ON FOOT. THE BALLOON WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 890 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 767 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 322 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Louisville KY at 11:17 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from LOU, 360 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.