Adams A-60 accident near Austin, Texas, January 18, 1988
On January 18, 1988 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Adams A-60 (balloon), registered N9811N, was involved in an accident near Austin, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE BALLOON WAS DEFLATED BY THE PASSENGER WHEN HE PULLED THE CROWN LINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WAS THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN RELINQUISHING THE LINE TO THE PASSENGER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1988 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Adams A-60
- Registration
- N9811N · registry record · serial 190
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL BALLOON PILOT RELINQUISHED CONTROL OF THE CROWN LINE TO ONE OF THE FOUR PASSENGERS DURING A HIGH WIND LANDING TO A PASTURE. THE PILOT ACTIVATED THE BURNER JUST PRIOR TO LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE BALLOON CLIMBING TO APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET. THE PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY PULLED THE LINE WHICH RELEASED THE AIR FROM THE ENVELOPE, RESULTING IN A RAPID DESCENT TO A HARD LANDING.
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: 477 hours in all; 21 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1987; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Austin TX at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9811N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.