Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Littleton, Colorado 80120
Sunday, January 13, 1985 9:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE BALLOON ENVELOPE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AFTER DRAGGING THE BASKET & OCCUPANTS APRX 200 YARDS ALONG AN OPEN FLD AND THROUGH A FENCE WHICH DAMAGED THE BASKET CONTAINING THE OCCUPANTS. THE BALLOON PLT SAID THAT THE WIND WAS ONLY 5 KTS AT TAKEOFF BUT AFTER 30 MINUTES OF FLT A WIND DESCRIBED BY THE PLT AS 'SHEER (SIC) FROM APRX 150 FT TO SURFACE, 30-35 MPH-FLAPGS ON FLAG POLES STANDING STRAIGHT OUT-LOOKED FOR LNDG AREA-VENTED THE BALLOON & PREPARED FOR LNDG.' FURTHER ATATEMENT BY THE PLT CONTAINED INFO THAT THE VENT OPENING CREATED A SAIL EFFECT TO INCREASE THE RESULTANT DRAG. PLT ALSO SAID, 'TRIED PULLING TOP OUT OF BALLOON BUT ONLY 1/3 OF TOP RELEASED CAUSING A DRAGGING EFFECT.' THE BALLOON ENVELOPE FINALLY CONTACTED & DRAPED OVER THE POWER LINES & WAS DAMAGED DURING THE CONTACT & LATER DURING REMOVAL. INTERVIEWS WITH SEVERAL COMMERCIAL BALLOON PLTS & A REPRESENTATIVE OF RAVEN INDUSTRIES, SIOUX FALLS, SD, REVEALED THAT MOST BALLOON PLTS CAN EXPECT A SAFE LNDG IN WINDS OF 10 MPH OR LESS & A RISK IN HIGHER WINDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City LITTLETON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80120
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 915
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4191
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) 118
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 15 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27321
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81DS
NTSB Number DEN85LA078
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 S55A
Aircraft Series Identifier S55A
Aircraft Serial Number 748
Certified Max Gross Weight 600
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 Feb 16 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 252
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WYNONA K. SIVERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1351 FRANKLIN APT. #1
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80218
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CHATFIELD RESER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 827
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --