- Date
- May 17, 1985, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Columbus, KS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- GSKSBAirship Industries Skyship
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 33943
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
In cruise flt nearing Columbus, Kansas the plt at the controls of the airship experienced a pitching up of the airship's nose. The elevator control did not respond to the plt input to counter the nose up pitch. Also noted was a loss of pressure from the rear helium filled envelope. The airship descended without control until striking tress which stopped it. Examination of the elevator showed the failure of the leading edge spar with movement of a portion of the spar penetrating the rear envelope.
Aircraft
- Registration
- GSKSB
- Reported as
- Airship Industries Skyship
- Category
- Blimp
- Serial number
- 500-04
- Airframe hours
- 1,326
- Engine
- Porsche 930, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Airship Industries USA Inc.
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 9, 1984 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- 1H6 · Tulsa, OK
- Destination
- IXD · Olathe, KS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,645 total · 207 in this make and model · 2,260 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None