- Date
- April 18, 1982, 18:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Sellersburg, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2224RRaven RX-6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820418009639A
- Case key
- 72595
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During a landing approach, the pilot was aware of powerlines to the left of his course. Just prior to touchdown, he became aware of a branch off of the powerlines that crossed in front of the balloon's path. He ripped out the top inflation panel; however, during the landing, the envelope draped over the powerlines. The pilot reported that the top wire separated and started a grass fire that ultimately spread and destroyed the basket and envelope.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2224R
- Reported as
- Raven RX-6
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 295
- Airframe hours
- 107
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul A. Bender
- Registered owner
- Paul A. Bender
- Departed
- Silver Lake, IN
- Destination
- Silver Lake, IN
- Airport
- 941 · Clark County
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 106 total · 103 in this make and model · 86 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 158 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LOU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.