Balloon Works FF-7 accident near Pandora, Ohio, July 6, 1986
On July 6, 1986 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Balloon Works FF-7, registered N4065K, was involved in an accident near Pandora, Ohio. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- July 6, 1986 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pandora, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FF-7
- Registration
- N4065K · registry record · serial 1001D
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A EARLY MORNING BALLOON FLIGHT, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN A CLEARED AREA WITH WINDS AT ABOUT 14 KNOTS. THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE FIRST ATTEMPT HE WOULD ENCOUNTER POWERLINES AND TREES. THE PILOT CLIMBED OUT AND ATTEMPTED ANOTHER APPROACH TO A CLOVER FIELD ADJACENT TO THE FIRST AREA. DURING THE LANDING THE BASKET TURNED OVER AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE WIND DRAGGED THE BASKET ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN POINT.
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
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 335 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 1986; 21 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 11:46 am from FDY, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.