# Accident 19950808023759A: Aerostar International S81A, Custer, SD, August 8, 1995

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 8, 1995, 07:10 local time
- Place: Custer, SD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.7591° N, 103.6003° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7591&lon=-103.6003&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9174Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9174Z-2015-05-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International S81A (registry code 7487907, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s81a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI95LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950808023759A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT. SUDDEN WIND GUST FORCED BALLOON ACROSS ROAD INTO TREES AND HARD LANDING. BLAMED DUST DEVIL.(.4) DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING BALLOON FLIGHT, A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND FORCED THE BALLOON ACROSS A ROAD INTO TREES, AFTER WHICH THERE WAS A HARD LANDING. TWENTY-FIVE MILES TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE A WEATHER OBSERVATION 24 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORTED A WINDSHIFT AND FRONTAL PASSAGE. (-23) APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON ENCOUNTERED A "DUST DEVIL". THE BALLOON BEGAN TO ACT ERRATICALLY. THE PILOT PULLED THE TOP OUT. THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE GROUND AND, ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS, APPEARED TO ACCELERATE. THE BALLOON HIT SEVERAL TREES AND DRUG A DISTANCE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI95LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA262), Aug 8, 1995: Aerostar S-81-A (N9174Z), Custer, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions.

## Other reports on N9174Z (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20000912036919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000912036919A), Sep 12, 2000: Aerstr S81A (N9174Z), Custer, SD, No damage. (-23) This accident occurred during a commercial balloon sightseeing tour operated by black hills balloons of Custer, SD. After landing, wind carried envelope…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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