Skypower 6 accident near Circleville, Utah, November 14, 1988
On November 14, 1988 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Skypower 6 (balloon), registered N46SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Circleville, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- November 14, 1988 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Circleville, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Skypower 6
- Registration
- N46SP · registry record · serial 114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL BALLOON PILOT AND A COMMERCIAL RATED PASSENGER WERE MAKING AN OVERNIGHT FLIGHT. THE BALLOON WAS EQUIPPED WITH INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT THAT ALLOWED FLIGHT FOLLOWING BY LOS ANGELES ARTCC. THE FLIGHT BECAME ENGULFED IN A COLD FRONT AND ENDURED HEAVY TURBULENCE, STRONG UP AND DOWN DRAFTS, SLEET, SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES. WINDS OF OVER 60 KNOTS PUSHED THE BALLOON TOWARD UTAH. AT DAYLIGHT THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND NEAR CIRCLEVILLE, UTAH. THE PASSENGER SAID THE PLT MISTAKENLY PULLED THE 'RED LINE' WHICH DUMPED ALL THE HELIUM. THE BALLOON FELL AT A RATE BEYOND THE MAXIMUM READINGS ON THE VSI.
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: 729 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 590 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 191 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anaheim CA at 2:20 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 225° at 30 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.