Aerostar International INC RAVEN S49A accident near Janesville, Wisconsin, April 13, 2012
On April 13, 2012, a Aerostar International INC RAVEN S49A (balloon), registered N70451, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Janesville, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the powerlines while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2012
- Place
- Janesville, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International INC RAVEN S49A · all RAVEN S49As on the register
- Registration
- N70451 · registry record · serial S49A-3193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he attempted to abort the landing when he saw that he was getting too close to the powerlines. He said he used a “continuous burn” to abort the landing; however, when it became apparent that the balloon would still hit the powerlines, he initiated an emergency descent. The balloon hit the powerlines and then descended to the ground. The impact with the powerlines caused an arc flash that burned the lower 20 percent of the balloon envelope.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
- Cabin safety event during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Bushelle Aerial Photography LLC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Janesville WI at 11:40 pm
- Destination: NONE Janesville WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from KJVL, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12LA248.