# Accident 19980701024779A: Amblmp ABCA60, Lockhaven, PA, July 1, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 1, 1998, 11:05 local time
- Place: Lockhaven, PA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.0991° N, 77.4900° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0991&lon=-77.4900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N760AB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N760AB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Blimp A-60+ (registry code 3850001, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-blimp-a-60-plus) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMBLMP ABCA60
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,022 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA074) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980701024779A

## Narrative

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

DIRIGIBLE ENCOUNTERED LAARGE DOWN DRAFT. UNABLE TO CONTROL AND DESCENDED INTO TREES. XMU11074                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   (.4)THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING IN PERSON FROM THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PREDICTED HEADWINDS FOR THE PLANNED AIRSHIP FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WERE 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS.  AN AIRMET ISSUED FOR THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT 45 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF CALLED FOR OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURBULENCE OVER ROUGH TERRAIN DUE TO STRONG LOW-LEVEL WINDS.  IN CRUISE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 500-600 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRSHIP ENCOUNTERED '...A SEVERE SUSTAINED DOWNDRAFT...' THAT COULD NOT BE OVERCOME WITH FULL POWER AND FULL UP ELEVATOR.  THE AIRSHIP SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH TREES.  AN UPDATE TO THE SAME AIRMET ONE HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT CALLED FOR OCCASIONAL MODERATE AND ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE OVER ROUGH TERRAIN.

## 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 IAD98LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA074), Jul 1, 1998: American Blimp ABC-A-60 (N760AB), Lock Haven, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's encounter with unforecasted downdrafts.

## Other reports on N760AB (1)

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

- [Incident 19941231043419I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941231043419I), Dec 31, 1994: Amblmp ABCA60 (N760AB), Orlando, FL, Minor damage. Windshift on landing caused high unrecoverable sink rate. Impact damaged airship landing gear.

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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