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LAX86FA223

1986-05-17 · TEMECULA, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 2L0

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE BALLOON WAS GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN A 'HARE AND HOUND' EVENT AND HAD DEPARTED A FESTIVAL STAGING AREA ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE AREA THE BALLOON HAD FLOWN FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES. WHILE ENROUTE TO THE POSITIONING AREA THE BALLOON HAD EXHAUSTED ITS LIQUID PROPANE SUPPLY. ONE OCCUPANT IN THE BALLOON WAS ATTEMPTING TO THROW A ROPE TO GROUND WITNESSES BUT DURING THE DESCENT THE BASKET CONTACTED SOME 31 FT AGL HIGH TENSION WIRES. ALL 12 CABLES AND THE HEATER CONTROL PANEL DISPLAYED EXTENSIVE BURNING/ARCING SIGNATURES AND ALL OF THE 1/4 IN STAINLESS STEEL CABLES WERE BURNED THROUGH & SEPARATED FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE ATTACH POINTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_LAX86FA223.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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