Fantasy Sky Promotions AX-7 accident near Wellsville, New York, July 16, 1988
On July 16, 1988 at about 11:30 am local time, a Fantasy Sky Promotions AX-7 (balloon), registered CGDGK, suffered minor damage in an accident near Wellsville, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was 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
- July 16, 1988 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Wellsville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fantasy Sky Promotions AX-7
- Registration
- CGDGK · no longer on the register · serial 012
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 35 HOT AIR BALLOONS WERE ENTERED IN THE GREAT WELLSVILLE BALLOON RALLY. AT 0625 EDT, THE PLT (OF C-GDGK) ATTENDED A WX BRIEFING THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE PLTS BY THE BALLOONMEISTER. THE PLT SAID THE BALLOONMEISTER INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE SUITABLE FLYING CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT SURFACE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH, & 27 KT WINDS AT 3000 FT, WITH NO CHANGE EXPECTED UNTIL ABOUT NOON. WHEN THE BALLOON LAUNCHED AT 0640 EDT, THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH AT 7 TO 10 KTS. ABOUT 40 MIN LATER, THE PLT NOTICED DUST WAS BLOWING & TREES WERE BENDING IN THE WIND. HE DECIDED TO LAND AT THE EARLIEST CONVENIENT TIME. HE STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS HARDER THAN NORMAL DUE TO DIMINISHED ALTITUDE CONTROL. THE 2 PAX RCVD SERIOUS INJURIES. NINE OF THE OTHER PLTS ALSO RPRTD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LANDINGS. THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO HAVE SHIFTED & WAS BLOWING AT 30 TO 40 KTS.
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: foreign licence
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wellsville NY at 10:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 35 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.