Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bentonville, Arkansas 72712
Saturday, May 1, 1993 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WIND PICKED UP THE BALLOON AND DRAGGED IT INTO A BARBED WIRE FENCE WHILE THE BALLOON WAS BEING DEFLATED AFTER LANDING. WINDS IN THE AREA WERE REPORTED FROM THE SOUTH AT 9 KNOTS

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR WAS UNFAVORABLE WINDS

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BENTONVILLE
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72712
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1852 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID FYV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1251
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 185
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1318
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50532
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6465K
NTSB Number FTW93LA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RAVEN
Aircraft Model S-55A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-55A
Aircraft Serial Number S55A-3022
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 252
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DIETZ, EDWARD K.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2341 ELAINE
Aircraft Owner City FAYETTEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72703
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DIETZ, EDWARD K.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2341 ELAINE
Operator City FAYETTEVILLE
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72703
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City ROGERS
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --