Head Balloons Inc. AX8-88 accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, August 9, 2004
On August 9, 2004 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Head Balloons Inc. AX8-88, registered N83063, was involved in an accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for landing. A contributing factor was the high vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2004 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Head Balloons Inc. AX8-88
- Registration
- N83063 · registry record · serial 266
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 784-hour balloon pilot reported that while attempting a landing to a field with tall grass, the basket of the balloon impacted a concrete culvert. The pilot stated that one of the two passengers was ejected from the basket and the balloon started to ascend. After regaining control of the balloon, the pilot made an uneventful landing in an adjacent field. The pilot added that the wind was observed at 6 knots, gusting to 10 knots, prior to takeoff.
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: 784 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 746 as pilot in command; 65 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2004; 14.8 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26R Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BTR
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.