Raven S-66A N2814D

Summary

On 20 April 1996 at about 14:30 local time, a Raven S-66A registered N2814D was involved in an accident near San Antonio, Texas, United States. 7 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 April 1996 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.4403, -98.4793

Aircraft

Raven S-66A

Registration

N2814D

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96LA176

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate briefing of his passengers. A factor was the high wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two of the passengers stated that they received 'no briefing before the balloon ride started.' The pilot reported that the 'wind was calm for a normal takeoff.' The pilot further stated that during the flight, the 'wind picked up [from] the NE 10 to 12 mph at 200 feet AGL.' When the pilot descended the balloon for a landing, the balloon 'landed near the edge of a grassy field.' One of the passengers reported that 'the balloon impacted the ground and bounced 30 to 40 feet before impacting the ground again.' The pilot reported that the basket was 'dragged about 150 feet and came to a stop on its side.' According to the injured passenger, 'approximately 20 seconds before the basket hit the ground, the pilot told the passengers to crouch below the basket top and bend their knees.' She reported that she didn't know that 'there was anything wrong; and didn't have any expectation of what to do for the landing until he said that.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.