Thunder And Colt SPECIAL SHAPE accident near Tyler, Texas, August 15, 1992
On August 15, 1992 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Thunder And Colt SPECIAL SHAPE (balloon), registered GPATY, was destroyed in an accident near Tyler, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1992 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tyler, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thunder And Colt SPECIAL SHAPE SPECIAL SH
- Registration
- GPATY · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH 69,000 VOLT POWER TRANSMISSION LINES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER TOWARD A DROP ZONE DURING AN ORGANIZED BALLOON RACE. THE BALLOON BASKET WAS ABOUT 20 TO 25 FEET OFF OF THE GROUND AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE WIRES ARCED THROUGH THE BASKET SUSPENSION LINES. ARC HOLES WERE FOUND IN BOTH FUEL TANKS AND THE FUEL WAS IGNITED. THE BASKET FELL TO THE GROUND WHEN THE ENVELOPE WAS RELEASED.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 12:30 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:47 pm from TYR, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.