Aerostar S-81A N9174Z
12 September 2000 · Custer, South Dakota, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 12 September 2000 at about 14:15 local time, a Aerostar S-81A registered N9174Z, operated by Blackhill Balloons, was involved in an accident near Custer, South Dakota, United States. 12 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Custer, South Dakota, United States
- Coordinates
- 43.7601, -103.5998
- Aircraft
- Aerostar S-81A
- Registration
- N9174Z
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Blackhill Balloons
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI00LA295
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Probable cause
The ground crew's failure to maintain control of the balloon until all passengers were disembarked. A factor related to the accident was the gust of wind.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A passenger fractured her leg while exiting the balloon. The passenger reported, "The basket bounced 3 or 4 times hard - one bounce approx 5'. The pilot ordered people to get out - one at a time. Passengers and ground crew were trying to hold the basket down. Everybody got off except me. Then a gust of wind took the balloon and tilted it over and I got out. It was at that point it broke my leg." The pilot reported that the passenger fractured her leg when she tripped after having exited the basket. He reported that after all the passengers were out of the basket, a small gust of wind carried the balloon about 100 feet into some power lines where it received several small holes.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 2000 | Saab 340-B | Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States | Mesaba Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 2000 | Cessna 177RG | Watertown, South Dakota, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 30 Mar 2000 | Piper J-3C | Eureka, South Dakota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 2000 | Creed LANCAIR 235 | Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 2000 | Piper PA-44-180 | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Aug 2000 | Cessna 340A | Mission, South Dakota, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |