- Date
- December 27, 1986, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Peoria, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5561PRaven S55A/AX7
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19861227072309A
- Case key
- 25492
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
Prior to lift-off the pilot noted that the wind conditions were calm. During the flight, the surface winds began to increase. The pilot prepared his passengers for a high wind landing and began to lightly vent off hot air. The balloon began descending at approximately 500 fpm. The pilot opened both vents until impact. One passenger was thrown out, but hung onto the gondolo. When the passenger let go, the balloon became airborne. The balloon then touched-down a second time and dragged to a stop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5561P
- Reported as
- Raven S55A/AX7
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S55A-544
- Airframe hours
- 180
- Engine
- unknown UNK, unknown
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas W. Tope
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 14, 1986 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- Glendale, AZ
- Destination
- Peoria, AZ
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 145 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 23° at 25 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 34 °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.