North Las Vegas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Las Vegas, Nevada 89128
Saturday, May 22, 2004 9:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an attempted takeoff the airship collided with a one-story building. The crew released the airship from the mooring mast to conduct its weigh-out and takeoff. A gust of wind caused the ship to translate to the right. The nose ropes manned by the ground crew were ineffective in controlling the movement. The pilot decided to execute a takeoff. However, being fully loaded, the airship was slow to respond despite the pilot's application of full power, full left rudder, and full up elevator control inputs. The landing gear hit the chain link airport fence, and then the airship settled on to a one-story building. The ground crew released the ballast and moved the airship back to the airfield. A second wind gust pushed the airship in to the next building over. The crew deflated the entire envelope and removed it off the building.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the ground crew's inability to maintain control of the airship and the pilot's inability to obtain a sufficient rate of climb. Contributing to the accident was unfavorable winds.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City North Las Vegas
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89128
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361245N
Event Location Longitude 1151146W
Event Location Airport North Las Vegas
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KVGT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KVGT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16138
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N154ZP
NTSB Number LAX04CA221
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name American Blimp Corporation
Aircraft Model A-1-50
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number SN104
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Blimp
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lightship America Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Orlando
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KVGT
Departure City North Las Vegas
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KLGB
Destination City Long Beach
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2004 2:12PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --