Raven S-55A-707 N5717H

Summary

On 15 April 1984 at about 15:00 local time, a Raven S-55A-707 registered N5717H was involved in an accident near Glendale, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

15 April 1984 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Glendale, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Raven S-55A-707

Registration

N5717H

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX84LA257

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A SIGHT-SEEING FLT, THE WINDS, OUTSIDE AIR TEMP & PROPANE GAS BURNER TEMP BEGAN INCREASING, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND. HE NOTIFIED THE CHASE CREW, STARTED A DESCENT & ANTICIPATED MAKING A 'DROP LINE' LANDING. AS THE BALLOON BEGAN CROSSING OVER A DRY RIVER AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, IT WAS DESCENDING AT APRX 75 FT/MIN. THE PLT STATED THAT AT ABOUT THAT TIME, A DOWNDRAFT FORCED THE BALLOON TO THE RIVER BED, THEN THE WIND DRAGGED IT INTO THE RIVER BANK. OBSERVERS SAID THE TOP OF THE BALLOON WAS SUDDENLY DISTORTED FROM DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT STATED EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL, THEN 'THE WIND HIT THE BALLOON' & THERE WERE 'NO TREES, FLAGS, SMOKE OR DUST TO ANTICIPATE THE WIND SHEAR.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.