Balloon Works AX8-24 accident near Telluride, Colorado, February 14, 1989
On February 14, 1989 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Balloon Works AX8-24, registered N7127J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Telluride, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ICE FORMING IN THE FUEL TANK SHUT OFF VALVE, AND THE BURNER BLAST VALVE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1989 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Telluride, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works AX8-24
- Registration
- N7127J · no longer on the register · serial F8-113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PLT AND TWO FRIENDS WERE FLYING HIS BALLOON IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND, THE PLT OPENED THE BURNER VALVE TO FLARE. THE VALVE STUCK OPEN AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF FUEL AT THE PROPANE BOTTLE. THAT VALVE STUCK OPEN ALSO, AND THE BALLOON STARTED TO RISE. THE PLT REDUCED THE HEAT ENTERING THE ENVELOPE BY PULLING THE BURNER OUT OF THE THROAT AND POINTING IT OVERBOARD. THIS BALLOON WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN EMERGENCY 'BACK UP' BURNER SYSTEM. BY USING THE BACK UP BURNER, THE PLT MANEUVERED AND LANDED IN A WOODED AREA. THE PLT SAID THAT AFTER LANDING, HE WAS ABLE TO WORK THE STUCK VALVES UNTIL THEY CLOSED AND THE FUEL FLOW CEASED. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT CONDITIONS EXISTED CONDUCIVE TO ICE FORMING IN BOTH VALVES AND PREVENTING NORMAL OPERATION.
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: 453 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 441 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1988; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.