# Accident 19951012032949A: Raven S40A, Ark, VA, October 12, 1995

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 12, 1995, 17:30 local time
- Place: Ark, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4385° N, 76.5758° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Ark, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4385&lon=-76.5758&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6348X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6348X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International RAVEN S49A (registry code 7484049, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-raven-s49a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RAVEN S40A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 718 total, 7 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB BFO96LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO96LA009) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951012032949A

## Narrative

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

BALLOON CAUGHT FIRE ON INFLATION. EVACUATED. BALLOON ROSE EMPTY. CFI FAILED TO TURN OFF PILOT SWITCHING HOSE.

## 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 BFO96LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO96LA009), Oct 12, 1995: Aerostar Raven S49A (N6348X), Ark, VA, destroyed. Probable cause: the flight instructor's improper procedures while inflating the balloon using an external fuel source, and the fuel leak.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
