# NTSB ANC81DAG36: Raven S-55A, N5561L, Anchorage, AK, May 23, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: May 23, 1981
- Place: Anchorage, AK · ANCHORAGE, AK
- Location: 61.2181° N, 149.9003° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Anchorage, AK, within about 23 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2181&lon=-149.9003&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 22, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126023
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC81DAG36
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC81DAG36

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1015  81/5/23    ANCHORAGE,AK        RAVEN S-55A         CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 36, 91
        TIME - 2030                    N5561L              PX-  0  1  1  OTHER                     TOTAL HOURS, ALL IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-NONE         OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - MERRILL
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ANCHORAGE,AK                LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           MISCELLANEOUS                                            LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PERSONNEL - MISCELLANEOUS-PERSONNEL: PASSENGER
        REMARKS- HOT AIR BALLOON.FOR HIRE SIGHTSEEING.PAX FELL AND BROKE ANKLE DURING TOUCHDOWN.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5561L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5561L-1991-07-09), registration cancelled 1991-07-09, S/N S55A542 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RAVEN S-55A
- Registry model: [Raven S55A](https://openairdocs.org/model/raven-s55a) (registry code 7480402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Engines: none
- Damage: No damage
- Airport: Merrill

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19810523029599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810523029599A), May 23, 1981: Raven S55A, Anchorage, AK. On rough landing, balloon passenger was thrown against other passenger injuring same.

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.

---
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.