Accident Balloon Works FIRE FLY 7-B N1510D, Saturday 8 January 1983

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Date:	Saturday 8 January 1983
Time:	16:45 LT
Type:	Balloon Works FIRE FLY 7-B
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N1510D
MSN:	B7142
Total airframe hrs:	7 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Greenwood, MO - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE STUDENT PLT/OWNER WAS BEING INSTRUCTED BY A FREE BALLOON PLT WITH A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. ACCORDING TO THE COMMERCIAL PLT, THE BALLOON HAD BEEN INFLATED, BUT THE AIR WAS STILL NOT HOT ENOUGH FOR FLT, AND THE WIND BLOWING OVER THE ENVELOPE CREATED A FALSE LIFT. THE GROUND CREW PREMATURELY RELEASED THE GROUND LINES & THE BALLOON DRIFTED TOWARD TREES APRX 200 YARDS AWAY. THE BALLOON ROSE APRX 20 FT THEN BEGAN DESCENDING. THE STUDENT WAS INSTRUCTED TO KEEP THE BURNER OPERATING; HOWEVER, A TREE LIMB CAME INTO THE SIDE OF THE BALLOON & SNAGGED A LOAD LINE. THE BALLOON THEN DRIFTED INTO 3 MORE TREES.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: