# NTSB DEN85LA078: Raven S55A, N81DS, Littleton, CO, January 13, 1985

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 13, 1985, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place: Littleton, CO
- Coordinates: 39.590324, -105.010063 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5903&lon=-105.0101&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16635
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN85LA078
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16635/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN85LA078

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Forced landing, descent - emergency
  - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor)
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - preflight planning/preparation - inaccurate, atc personnel(fss) (cause)
  - compensation for wind conditions - not understood, pilot in command (cause)
  - judgment - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll
  - object - fence (contributing factor)
  - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor)
  - balloon equipment,envelope - improper (cause)
  - balloon equipment,envelope - failure,partial (cause)
  - balloon equipment,basket - penetrated (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE BALLOON ENVELOPE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AFTER DRAGGING THE BASKET & OCCUPANTS APRX 200 YARDS ALONG AN OPEN FLD AND THROUGH A FENCE WHICH DAMAGED THE BASKET CONTAINING THE OCCUPANTS. THE BALLOON PLT SAID THAT THE WIND WAS ONLY 5 KTS AT TAKEOFF BUT AFTER 30 MINUTES OF FLT A WIND DESCRIBED BY THE PLT AS 'SHEER (SIC) FROM APRX 150 FT TO SURFACE, 30-35 MPH-FLAPGS ON FLAG POLES STANDING STRAIGHT OUT-LOOKED FOR LNDG AREA-VENTED THE BALLOON & PREPARED FOR LNDG.' FURTHER ATATEMENT BY THE PLT CONTAINED INFO THAT THE VENT OPENING CREATED A SAIL EFFECT TO INCREASE THE RESULTANT DRAG. PLT ALSO SAID, 'TRIED PULLING TOP OUT OF BALLOON BUT ONLY 1/3 OF TOP RELEASED CAUSING A DRAGGING EFFECT.' THE BALLOON ENVELOPE FINALLY CONTACTED & DRAPED OVER THE POWER LINES & WAS DAMAGED DURING THE CONTACT & LATER DURING REMOVAL. INTERVIEWS WITH SEVERAL COMMERCIAL BALLOON PLTS & A REPRESENTATIVE OF RAVEN INDUSTRIES, SIOUX FALLS, SD, REVEALED THAT MOST BALLOON PLTS CAN EXPECT A SAFE LNDG IN WINDS OF 10 MPH OR LESS & A RISK IN HIGHER WINDS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N81DS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N81DS-2002-05-15), registration cancelled 2002-05-15, S/N S55A-748, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RAVEN S55A
- Registry model: [Raven S55A](https://openairdocs.org/model/raven-s55a) (registry code 7480402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 748
- Airframe hours: 252
- Engines: NONE NONE unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Wynona K. Siverson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 16, 1984, 30 hours before
- Departed: CHATFIELD RESER, CO

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; commercial; flight hours: 144 total, 144 in this make and model, 126 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 30 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

## 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 19850113000779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850113000779A), Jan 13, 1985: Raven S55A, Littleton, CO, Substantial damage. Precautionary landing due to increasing wind speed. Wind dragged balloon over a fence and draped it over powerline.

## Other investigations on N81DS (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 DEN88LA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88LA081), Feb 28, 1988: Raven S55A (N81DS), Los Lunas, NM, substantial damage

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.

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