# NTSB IAD80FKW04: Raven S55A, N8542L, Knoxville, TN, January 3, 1980

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: January 3, 1980
- Place: Knoxville, TN · KNOXVILLE, TN
- Location: 35.9606° N, 83.9207° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Knoxville, TN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9606&lon=-83.9207&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 28, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 131747
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD80FKW04
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD80FKW04

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0251   80/1/3    KNOXVILLE,TN        RAVEN S55A          CR-  0  1  1  INSTRUCTIONAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 36, 576
        TIME - 1730                    N8542L              PX-  0  0  0  DUAL                      TOTAL HOURS, 170 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-NONE         OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          KNOXVILLE,TN                LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           MISCELLANEOUS                                            TAXI: AERIAL TAXI, OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF FLIGHT
        FACTOR(S)
           DUAL STUDENT - LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH AIRCRAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - TIEDOWN LINES SNAPPED
        REMARKS- PLT OUTSIDE BASKET WALKING BLN,STU IN BASKET APPLYING HEAT.BLN ASCENDED,PLT FELL FM APPROX 65FT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8542L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8542L-2009-09-17), registration cancelled 2009-09-17, S/N S55A-222, built 1977 (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
- Engines: none
- Damage: No damage

## 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 19800103000639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800103000639A), Jan 3, 1980: Raven S55A, Knoxville, TN. PIC dragging inflated balloon over ground with student using burner. Balloon rose.PIC held to 60 ft alt. Fell to grnd

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.