Aerostar International S-77A accident near Custer, South Dakota, July 27, 2002
On July 27, 2002 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Aerostar International S-77A (balloon), registered N2867W, was involved in an accident near Custer, South Dakota (Custer Park Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot of the balloon did not maintain aircraft control. Factors contributing to the accident include the variable winds and the inadequate compensation for the wind conditions by the pilot in command.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2002 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Custer, South Dakota · Custer Park Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International S-77A
- Registration
- N2867W · no longer on the register · serial 3002
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft experienced a hard landing while landing on an open prairie. The pilot reported that the balloon encountered increased winds at an altitude of approximately 200 feet. He stated that the lower level wind had picked up when he came in to land. He reported that he briefed his passengers for the landing, telling them to bend their knees and hold on. The pilot stated that the balloon contacted the ground on an upslope with a fairly steep incline just prior to the prairie and he pulled the top out of the balloon for fast deflation. According to the pilot, the balloon slid approximately 60 feet to the top of the incline and as it passed over the top of the incline the basket swung up and forward for about 30 to 40 feet. He stated that the basket then contacted the ground and slid to a rest within 50 to 60 feet. The pilot reported that another pilot in a balloon behind him used a GPS to check the winds while airborne. This pilot reported the winds were 27 miles per hour. An FAA Inspector who was at the balloon rally reported that approximately 10 minutes after the accident balloon's departure, the wind speed increased and the wind direction varied. He reported that this lasted for approximately 10 minutes then the winds calmed down.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 385 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2002; 5.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 3V0 Custer SD at 12:00 pm
- Destination: 3V0 Custer SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from CUT, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 6 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.