# NTSB NYC99LA013: Goodyear Aerospace GZ-20-A, N3A, Bedford, MA, October 2, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 2, 1998, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Bedford, MA - Location: 42.4699° N, 71.2890° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAURENCE G HANSCOM FLD (BED), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4699&lon=-71.2890&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 4 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45157 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45157/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA013 ## Probable cause The separation of the pull-in-line. A factor in the accident was the gusting winds. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, maneuvering - blimp/airship equipment - failure (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) ## Analysis After arriving at the airport, the pilot landed and waited for the ground crew to arrive and assemble the mooring mast. Once the mast was assembled, the ground crew took over and the pilot assisted with thrust to move the airship upwind to the mooring mast. The conditions at the time of the accident were challenging, but not uncommon for airship operations. The injured ground handler was moving from one recovery position to another trying to provide assistance where needed most. Once the pull-in-line was set, the injured ground handler went to assist. While using his 200 pound body to help pull the airship to the mooring mast the pull-in-line broke, and the ground handler fell from a standing position, injuring his back. The winds at the airport were reported to be from 280 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 24. ## Factual narrative On October 2, 1998, at 1400 eastern daylight time, a ground handler received serious injuries while a Goodyear Aerospace GZ-20-A, an airship, N3A, owned and operated by the Goodyear Rubber and Tire Company, was being moored at Laurence G. Hanscom Field (BED), Bedford, Massachusetts. The airship was not damaged. The certificated commercial pilot, co-pilot, and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the positioning flight that originated from Teterboro Airport (TEB), approximately 0600. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, on the flight from Teterboro to Bedford, they had "favorable" winds which caused them to arrive 2 hours prior to the ground crew, that was also traveling from Teterboro. After arriving at Bedford, the pilot landed and waited for the ground crew to arrive and assemble the mooring mast. Once the mast was assembled, the ground crew "took over" and the pilot assisted with thrust to move the airship upwind to the mooring mast. The pilot added that the conditions at the time of the accident were challenging, but not uncommon in their operation. The injured ground handler added that getting a "handle" on the airship was very difficult, and required three attempts. In addition, he was moving from one recovery position to another trying to provide assistance where needed most. Once the pull-in-line was set, the injured ground handler went to assist. While using his 200 pound body to help pull in the airship, the injured ground handler watched the airship rise up over the "mast cup" breaking the cable. The ground handler then fell from a standing position to the ground, injuring his back. The pilot estimated that the broken cable was approximately 1/16 of an inch in diameter, and had broke about 2/3 from the nose spindle, leaving about 16 feet still attached. He added that the cable was used for guiding, more then load bearing, and that he is aware of four or five previous cable brakes, but recalls no one being injured. The pilot stated that in addition to the wind speed and gusty conditions, a 300 foot hill, and a couple of hangars up wind of the mooring point, created "mechanical turbulence" which added to the complexity of the mooring operation. The injured ground handler added that the mooring conditions were not unusual, and in any given 12 month period, they could expect to conduct two or three recoveries in similar conditions. The winds reported at the airport at the time of the accident were from 280 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 24. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3A-2014-05-12), registration cancelled 2014-05-12, S/N 4118, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Goodyear Aerospace GZ-20-A - Registry model: [Goodyear GZ-20A](https://openairdocs.org/model/goodyear-gz-20a) (registry code 3870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Blimp - Serial number: 4116 - Airframe hours: 23000 - Engines: Continental IO-360 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Registered owner: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, October 2, 1998, 7 hours before - Departed: TEB, TETERBORO, NJ - Destination: BED, BEDFORD, MA - Airport: BED, Laurence G. Hanscom Field ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 8,700 total, 7,500 in this make and model, 8,700 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 16 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: BED ## 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 19981002046549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981002046549A), Oct 2, 1998: Bedford, MA, No damage. (-23) Windy day, goodyear blimp was approaching the mooring mast for landing, the pull-in cable snapped, ground crewperson, richard daniels, fell to the ground… 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.