Barnes BALLOON AX7 accident near Napa, California, February 28, 1982
On February 28, 1982 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Barnes BALLOON AX7, registered N40688, was destroyed in an accident near Napa, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- February 28, 1982 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Napa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Barnes BALLOON AX7 BALLOON AX
- Registration
- N40688 · no longer on the register · serial A7034
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND SHORT OF POWERLINES AFTER ABORTING AN ASCENT TO SAFELY CLEAR THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE REPORTED AS UNSTABLE AIR. THE GONDOLA BOUNCED AND SLID INTO THE WIRES. THE PILOT STATED THAT ELECTRIC CURRENT PASSED THROUGH THE LOAD LINES AND A FIRE STARTED WHEN IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE PILOT LIGHT HOSE.
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: 436 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 312 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 870 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Yountville CA at 7:40 am
- Destination: SFO Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.