ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 124370
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| Date: | 24-JAN-1976 |
| Time: | 10:45 |
| Type: |  Thunder AX-7 |
| Owner/operator: | William G Busse t/a Sky Drifter Balloon Co |
| Registration: | N5217 |
| MSN: | SEM 102 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Death Valley, Mojave Desert, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Death Valley, Mojave Desert, California |
| Badwater, Inyo County, California | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Thunder AX-7 N5217: Owned and operated by William G Busse t/a Sky Drifter Balloon Co., Las Vegas, Nevada. Written off (destroyed by fire) January 24 1976 when crashed on final approach at Death Valley, California. The pilot, the sole person on board survived, albeit with serious injuries, According to the following excerpt from the NTSB Report into the incident:
"TYPE OF ACCIDENT: TURBULENCE
PHASE OF OPERATION: LANDING/FINAL APPROACH
COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED
PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
WEATHER - UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS
WEATHER - DOWNDRAFT,UPDRAFTS
GONDOLA DRAGGED ACROSS ROCKS,BALLOON CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IMPACT".
The FAA cancelled the registration N5217 on March 4 1976.
Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is one of the hottest places on Earth. Badwater is a locale in Inyo County, California. It is located in Death Valley 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Bennetts Well, at an elevation of −266 feet (−81 m)
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: OAK76DVW12: https://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/brief.aspx?ev_id=51247&key=0
2. FAA: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N5217
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badwater,_California
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Sep-2022 11:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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