Airship SKYSHIP GSKSB

Summary

On 17 May 1985 at about 17:00 local time, a Airship SKYSHIP registered GSKSB was involved in an accident near Columbus, Kansas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

17 May 1985 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbus, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

37.1606, -94.8403

Aircraft

Airship SKYSHIP

Registration

GSKSB

Category

Blimp

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tulsa → Olathe

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC85LA103

Nobody was 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

IN CRUISE FLT NEARING COLUMBUS, KANSAS THE PLT AT THE CONTROLS OF THE AIRSHIP EXPERIENCED A PITCHING UP OF THE AIRSHIP'S NOSE. THE ELEVATOR CONTROL DID NOT RESPOND TO THE PLT INPUT TO COUNTER THE NOSE UP PITCH. ALSO NOTED WAS A LOSS OF PRESSURE FROM THE REAR HELIUM FILLED ENVELOPE. THE AIRSHIP DESCENDED WITHOUT CONTROL UNTIL STRIKING TRESS WHICH STOPPED IT. EXAMINATION OF THE ELEVATOR SHOWED THE FAILURE OF THE LEADING EDGE SPAR WITH MOVEMENT OF A PORTION OF THE SPAR PENETRATING THE REAR ENVELOPE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.