Head Balloons, Inc. AX8-88 accident near Victor, Idaho, July 5, 2002
On July 5, 2002 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Head Balloons, Inc. AX8-88, registered N4522E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Victor, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the power lines during the landing resulting in the balloon's impacting the wires. Contributing factors were the power lines and strong winds existent at the time.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2002 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Victor, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Head Balloons, Inc. AX8-88
- Registration
- N4522E · registry record · serial 183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Head Balloon AX8-88 hot air balloon reported that about 20 minutes after departure he encountered increasing westerly winds of 10 mph and decided to select an alternate landing site. During the approach one of the passengers called "power lines." The pilot, who was already applying burner, was unable to clear the lines and about 5-10 seconds later the upper supports of the basket contacted the power lines. One of the three wires fell away and the pilot attempted to stabilize the balloon as it remained in contact with the two remaining lines. The basket then came to rest on a highway in an upright attitude. The aviation surface weather observation taken shortly after the accident at Idaho Falls and located 42 nautical miles west-southwest reported winds from 200 degrees magnetic at 11 knots with winds gradually increasing in strength during the morning.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,861 hours in all; 374 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 233 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 2001; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Victor ID at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Victor ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from IDA, 42 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 N4522E 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.