Eagle Balloons EAGLE C-7 accident near Houston, Texas, March 10, 1984
On March 10, 1984 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Eagle Balloons EAGLE C-7, registered N6081L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 10, 1984 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Eagle Balloons EAGLE C-7
- Registration
- N6081L · no longer on the register · serial E82733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE WX AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS SCATTERED CLOUDS BETWEEN 150-650 FT AGL WITH A DEFINITE CEILING AT 650 FT (BROKEN). VISIBILITY WAS 1 MI WITH RAPIDLY FORMING FOG LAYER. THE PLT DESCENDED WITH THE INTENTION OF LANDING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE SAW THE POWERLINES & IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE PRESSURE TOP & CONTACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 150 FT FROM THE POWERLINES. HOWEVER, THE BALLOON DRAGGED ABOUT 80 FT & THE PYROMETER WIRE ON TOP OF THE ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE LOWEST POWERLINE. A PATH TO GROUND WAS MADE THROUGH THE PYROMETER CABLE/LINES, UPRIGHT LINES, FUEL TANK & SUPPORT CABLES. THE INSTANTANEOUS CHARGE (TO GROUND) SPLIT THE ENVELOPE DOWN THE PYROMETER WIRE, BLEW CONVERTING PINS OUT OF THEBURNER & UPRIGHT SUPPORTS, & SENT THE HIGH VOLTAGE/CURRENT FLOW INTO THE BASKET.
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: 952 hours in all; 42 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 94 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; scat at 250 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.