Aerostar RX-7 accident near Fountain, Colorado, September 4, 1994
On September 4, 1994 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Aerostar RX-7 (balloon), registered N3578D, was involved in an accident near Fountain, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING LANDING IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1994 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Fountain, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX-7
- Registration
- N3578D · registry record · serial RX7-3211
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE BALLOON IN AN OPEN FIELD 'IN WIND CONDITIONS THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE BALLOON TO HAVE REMAINED UPRIGHT FOR A STAND UP LANDING.' GROUND CONTACT WAS HARDER THAN THE PILOT ANTICIPATED AND THE BASKET TIPPED OVER. A PASSENGER FELL OUT AND THE WIND DRAGGED THE BASKET OVER HER. AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE PASSENGER BACK INTO THE BASKET, SHE LOST HER BALANCE AND THE BALLOON ASCENDED WITH THE PILOT HOLDING ONTO THE VENT LINE. THE BALLOON CAME BACK DOWN AND THE PILOT FELL OUT. AS THE BALLOON WAS DRAGGED OVER THE PILOT, HER LEG BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE VENT LINE. THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF AND ASCENDED ABOUT 25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT DISENTANGLED HERSELF AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE CHASE CREW TOLD THE REMAINING PASSENGER TO PULL THE RIP CORD TO DEFLATE THE ENVELOPE. SHE DID AND THE BALLOON DESCENDED TO THE GROUND ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY. AN FAA INSPECTOR, AFTER VIEWING A VIDEO TAPE OF THE ACCIDENT, SAID THE LANDING WAS MADE IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT DID NOT USE A HIGH WIND LANDING TECHNIQUE.
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
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 148 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1994; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Colo. Springs CO at 1:15 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from COS, 8 miles away
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.