# Incident 19980428013899I: Airshp AIRSHIP600, Birmingham, AL, April 28, 1998

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 28, 1998, 16:45 local time
- Place: Birmingham, AL
- Airport: Birmingham Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5207° N, 86.8025° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Birmingham, AL, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5207&lon=-86.8025&mi=10
- Aircraft: N602SK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N602SK-2018-01-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airship Industries UK AIRSHIP 600 (registry code 3850101, https://openairdocs.org/model/airship-industries-uk-airship-600) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Porsche 930-67 (registry code 51003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/porsche-930-67) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRSHP AIRSHIP600
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 17,100 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 280 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980428013899I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: ON APRIL 28, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1143 CST (1643 GMT), A AIRSHIP INDUSTRIES MODEL 600 AIRSHIP N602SK OPERATING AS A 14 CFR 91 SIGHT SEEING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS FLIGHT ON BEHALF OF FUJI FILMS EXPERIENCED A DEFLATION OF THE AIRBAG ENVELOPE WHILE MANEUVERING FOR LANDING AND MOORING AT THE BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BIRMINGHAM, AL. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WINDS WERE NOT EXCEEDING 18 KNOTS, BUT WERE GUSTY AND VARIABLE (LIKE A WIND SHEAR). THE PILOT MADE HIS APPROACH TO THE NON-MOVEMENT AREA DESIGNATED FOR THEIR USE JUST EAST OF RUNWAY 36, WHICH WAS CLOSED. THERE WAS A NOTAM INDICATING THIS RUNWAY CLOSURE. APPROACHING HIS LANDING POINT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED WIND SHEAR AND BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE NORTH. THE PILOT APPLIED ENGINE POWER AND RUDDER TO CORRECT THIS, AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS STUCK IN THE "REVERSE" POSITION. THE CREW TRIED TO CORRECT THIS AND STARTED A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND WHEN THE AIRSHIP DRIFTED OVER A 12 FT HIGH RUNWAY CLOSURE SIGN, STRUCK IT AND DEFLATED THE BAG. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT FACILITATED THIS INCIDENT. THE FIRST WAS THE INITIAL FAILURE OF THE RIGHT DUCTED PROP, WHICH STAYED IN REVERSE AND FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE PILOT'S INPUTS TO RETURN TO A NORMAL ("PC" OR FORWARD PITCH)MODE. THIS EVENT MADE A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND ON A WINDY, GUSTY DAY VERY DIFFICULT. THE SECOND ISSUE WAS THE USE OF A METAL X-SHAPED RUNWAY CLOSURE SIGN. THIS 10 TO 12 FT TALL METAL STRUCTURE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE AIRSHIP AND RIPPED OPEN THE LOWER PART OF THE AIRSHIP AIRBAG, ALLOWING THE HELIUM GAS TO ESCAPE AND THUS DEFLATE THE AIRSHIP. IF THIS METAL SIGN HAD NOT BEEN THERE, THE AIRSHIP WOULD NOT HAVE DEFLATED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## Other reports on N602SK (2)

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

- [Incident 19911223062089I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911223062089I), Dec 23, 1991: Airshp AIRSHIP600 (N602SK), San Diego, CA, Minor damage. Blimp caught landing gear in fence approaching mooring mast. Had high sink rate and asymetrical thrust.
- [Accident 19900415013279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900415013279A), Apr 15, 1990: Airshp AIRSHIP600 (N602SK), Creswall, NC, Substantial damage. Both engines failed en route. Drifting, struck trees. Damaged landing in high wind. Ignition control units failed.

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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