Lindstrand Balloons 90A accident near Allen, Texas, July 18, 2004
On July 18, 2004 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Lindstrand Balloons 90A, registered N6036F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allen, Texas. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the power lines. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2004 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Allen, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lindstrand Balloons 90A · all 90As on the register
- Registration
- N6036F · no longer on the register · serial 5216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A 190-hour balloon pilot carrying two first-time balloon passengers landed in an open field and realized that the grass there was very tall. To aid the recovery of his balloon, the pilot elected to reposition the balloon closer a road where the grass was shorter. While repositioning the balloon, the pilot noticed power lines located along the road. Subsequently, the pilot shut-off the fuel and pilot light on the burner and opened the deflation port to deflate the envelope. During the deflation process, a gust of wind blew the balloon along the ground at a 45-degree angle toward the power lines. The pilot and the two passengers exited the basket before the envelope collided with the power lines. After approximately 30 to 45 seconds, the envelope was blown off the power lines and on to the nearby road.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 155 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2003; 27 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mckinney TX at 12:05 pm
- Destination: Allen TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW04CA234.