- Date
- October 21, 2002, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Valdosta, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N660VLAmerican Blimp A-60
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20021021032879I
- Case key
- 55911
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
Loss of airship control during tie down, due to gusty wind conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he and his crew member were preparing to secure the blimp after landing. The crew member exited the blimp and attempted to tie it down. The winds were gusting, and the crew member needed extra assistance in securing the blimp. As onlookers came to aid the crew members, a gust of wind blew the blimp into nearby trees.
Factual narrative
On October 21, 2002, at 1745 eastern daylight time, an American Blimp Corporation A-60 blimp, N660VL, registered to and operated by Lightship Group, collided with trees during an attempted tie down at Valdosta Regional Airport, Valdosta, Georgia. The positioning flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. The airship sustained minor damage and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Orlando Executive Airport, Florida, at 0954.
According to the pilot, he and his crew member were preparing to secure the blimp after landing. The crew member exited the blimp to attempt to tie it down. The winds were gusting, and the crew member needed extra assistance in securing the blimp. As onlookers came to aid the crew members, a gust of wind blew the blimp into nearby trees.
Examination of the blimp revealed the envelope was torn during the removal from the trees. The gondola had a fabric tear on the underside. The fins had fabric tears and recovery damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N660VL
- Reported as
- American Blimp A-60
- Category
- Blimp
- Serial number
- 006
- Engine
- Limbach L2000-EC, 68 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lightship Group
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VLD · Valdosta, GA
- Destination
- TMA · Tifton, GA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- VLD · Valdosta Regional
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- August 23, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,280 total · 596 in this make and model · 852 as pilot in command · 203 in the last 90 days · 86 in the last 30 days · 9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- VLD, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.