# NTSB CHI03LA313: Raven S-60A, N2789N, Slayton, MN, August 11, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 11, 2003, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Slayton, MN - Coordinates: 43.98722, -95.759162 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9872&lon=-95.7592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58178 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA313 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58178/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA313 ## Probable cause The excessive descent rate during the balloon's landing by the student pilot. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - descent - excessive, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis A passenger was seriously injured during a hard landing in the hot air balloon. The injured passenger contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and informed an inspector of the accident. The passenger's right leg was broken in two locations during a rough landing. The passenger informed the FAA that she was a paying passenger in the balloon at the time of the accident. The balloon was piloted by a student pilot. The wind velocity recorded nearest the accident site was 6 knots. 14 CFR Part 61.89 states that a student pilot may not carry passengers, or operate an aircraft for compensation or hire. ## Factual narrative On August 11, 2003, about 1800 central daylight time, a passenger was seriously injured during landing in the Raven S-60A balloon, N2789N, in which the passenger was riding. The accident occurred in Slayton, Minnesota. The balloon was piloted by a student pilot in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot and the other 4 passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Slayton, Minnesota, about 1700. The injured passenger contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and informed an inspector of the accident. The passenger's right leg was broken in two locations during a rough landing. The passenger informed the FAA that she was a paying passenger in the balloon at the time of the accident. The recorded weather at Pipestone Municipal Airport, Pipestone, Minnesota, located 23.7 nautical miles to the west of the accident site reported the winds at 1816 as: 090 degrees at 6 knots. At the time of the accident, the pilot held a student pilot certificate issued on December 30, 2002. 14 CFR Part 61.89 states in part: General limitations. (a) A student pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft: (1) That is carrying a passenger; (2) That is carrying property for compensation or hire; (3) For compensation or hire; (4) In furtherance of a business; The pilot did not inform the FAA or the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the accident, and no NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report was received from the pilot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2789N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2789N), registered now, S/N S60A-372, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Raven S-60A - Registry model: [Raven S-60A](https://openairdocs.org/model/raven-s-60a) (registry code 7480606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 372 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Slayton, MN - Destination: Slayton, MN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; student ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 90° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: PQN, 24 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030811023249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030811023249A), Aug 11, 2003: Raven S60A, Slayton, MN. (-23) On August 28, 1993 this office received a phone all from [privacy data omitted] regarding a concern with a balloon operator. During the telephone… 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.