Aerostar S81A accident near Highland, Michigan, July 23, 2003
On July 23, 2003 at about 11:32 am local time, a Aerostar S81A (balloon), registered N11BQ, was involved in an accident near Highland, Michigan. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 8 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to maintain a proper descent rate. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees, the reported high winds and gusts, the trees, the power lines and the house.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2003 · about 11:32 am local time
- Place
- Highland, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 8 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar S81A
- Registration
- N11BQ · registry record · serial S81A-3010
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two passengers of the sightseeing balloon flight sustained serious injuries during a hard landing. A total of eleven passengers were on-board. Seven of the passengers, as well as the pilot, reported minor injuries. The remaining two passengers reported no injuries. The balloon was undamaged. The pilot reported surface winds at departure were light. However, during flight at 2,500 feet mean sea level, the winds were in excess of 30 knots, according to the pilot. He reported descending to where more moderate winds were encountered. The pilot stated that about 30 minutes into the flight, however, lower level winds started to increase. He stated he had selected a field and was approaching to land when the winds "increased rapidly" and the trees "began to move violently." Power lines and a house were reportedly located at the opposite end of the landing field. For this reason, the pilot reported that he felt he needed to land immediately considering the reported high winds and gusts and the presence of the power lines and house. Passengers stated the balloon basket clipped a tree on approach. The balloon impacted the ground and was dragged about 170 feet, ejecting one passenger in the process. The balloon was undamaged. The pilot reported no malfunctions with the balloon prior to the accident.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,526 hours in all; 196 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,463 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 196 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 2003; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Fenton MI at 10:30 am
- Destination: N/A Highland MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from PTK, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 7 | 2 |
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.