Aerostar RAVEN S49A N6348X
12 October 1995 · Ark, Virginia, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 12 October 1995 at about 21:30 local time, a Aerostar RAVEN S49A registered N6348X was involved in an accident near Ark, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ark, Virginia, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RAVEN S49A
- Registration
- N6348X
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- BFO96LA009
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
the flight instructor's improper procedures while inflating the balloon using an external fuel source, and the fuel leak.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The flight instructor reported that in an attempt to conserve fuel in the on-board fuel tank, he inflated the balloon for flight using an external fuel tank. He stated that when he attempted to disconnect the external fuel tank hose, the residual fuel ignited. The flight instructor and dual student exited the balloon, and the balloon lifted off the ground. The balloon remained airborne, unmanned, for about one mile before it touched down. Postaccident examination of the balloon revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The flight instructor stated that the accident could have been prevented if the pilot light was turned off before switching fuel hose connections from external fuel tank to on-board fuel tank.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerostar RAVEN accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 1995 | Aerostar RAVEN S57-A | Stark, Kansas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Mar 1996 | Aerostar RAVEN S49A | Vidalia, Louisiana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Nov 1999 | Aerostar RAVEN S57-A | Imperial, Missouri, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1991 | Aerostar RAVEN 557A | Indianola, Iowa, United States | Freedom Flight Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 20 Oct 1991 | Aerostar RAVEN S-60 | Trenton, New Jersey, United States | Aire, Harrison | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1989 | Aerostar RAVEN 560 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | Nevada High, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1995 | Kolb TWINSTAR | Abingdon, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Aug 1995 | Cessna 172D | Hague, Virginia, United States | Morgan T Moore | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 1995 | Beechcraft 65 | West Point, Virginia, United States | Peninsula Sky Divers | Fatal | 11 |
| 9 Aug 1995 | North American SNJ-5 | Luray, Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 1995 | Piper PA-22-150 | South Boston, Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 1995 | Insua L-21 | Petersburg, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |