Aerostar AX-9 accident near Calistoga, California, April 22, 1993
On April 22, 1993 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Aerostar AX-9 (balloon), registered N63164, was involved in an accident near Calistoga, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE BALLOON'S ENCOUNTER WITH HIGHER THAN FORECAST WINDS WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE BALLOON BASKET WITH A RECESSED AREA WHICH PREVENTED ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE INJURED PASSENGER'S FOOT DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1993 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Calistoga, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar AX-9
- Registration
- N63164 · no longer on the register · serial S66A-3043
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT THE PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING CONTAINED A FORECAST FOR WINDS WELL WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE OF THE BALLOON'S NORMAL OPERATING ENVELOPE. THE PILOT SAID AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, HIS GROUND CREW REPORTED AN INCREASE IN THE SURFACE WINDS TO ABOUT EIGHT KNOTS. THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT AS HE PREPARED FOR AN APPROACH HE NOTED THAT SEVERAL BALLOONS ON THE GROUND WERE LAYING OVER. THE PILOT SAID HE SELECTED A LARGE FIELD AND BRIEFED HIS PASSENGERS ON A HIGH WIND LANDING. AT A POINT ABOUT EIGHT FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE WINDS INCREASED TO 12 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME THE WIND EFFECTS AND THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE INJURED PASSENGER'S FOOT WAS PLACED IN A RECESSED AREA OF THE BASKET FLOOR WHICH DID NOT ALLOW FOR ANY LATERAL MOVEMENT. ON GROUND TOUCHDOWN, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A DISLOCATION FRACTURE OF THAT ANKLE.
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: 2,118 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1992; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 2:15 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
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.