Adams AX-9 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, March 11, 1989
On March 11, 1989 at about 2:04 pm local time, a Adams AX-9 (balloon), registered N4033J, was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF A PASSENGER TO FOLLOW PRE-BRIEFED INSTRUCTIONS DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1989 · about 2:04 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Adams AX-9
- Registration
- N4033J · registry record · serial 144
- 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 BALLOON TIPPED OVER UPON LDG. THE PLT & 2 PAX STATED THAT SAFETY BRIEFING BEFORE & DURING FLT WAS ADEQUATE, & GIVEN AT LEAST TWICE. ON TOUCHDOWN WHEN THE GONDOLA TIPPED, OTHER PAX FELL UPON FEMALE PAX INJURING HER ARM. THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED UNTIL ABOUT 48 HRS LATER.
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: 801 hours in all; 801 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 778 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 399 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1988; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,929 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from CRG, 15 miles away
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.