Aerostar RX-8 accident near Canton, Mississippi, July 4, 1996
On July 4, 1996 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Aerostar RX-8 (balloon), registered N7155N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canton, Mississippi. 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
failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude and/or clearance from the tower.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1996 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Canton, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX-8
- Registration
- N7155N · registry record · serial RX83248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the balloon pilot made a climb to about 1,000 feet. Approximately 15 minutes later, he descended and was moving past the top of a 495 foot tower. As he was passing the tower, he attempted a climb; however, before climbing, the balloon encountered a wind change, which blew it toward the tower. The balloon collided with the tower, and the envelope ripped open. The balloon then entered an uncontrolled descent and collided with a tree and the ground.
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: 290 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 29, 1996; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from JAN, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N7155N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.