Raven S-60A accident near Slayton, Minnesota, August 11, 2003
On August 11, 2003 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Raven S-60A (balloon), registered N2789N, was involved in an accident near Slayton, Minnesota. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The excessive descent rate during the balloon's landing by the student pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2003 · about 11:00 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Slayton, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S-60A · all S-60As on the register
- Registration
- N2789N · registry record · serial 372
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A passenger was seriously injured during a hard landing in the hot air balloon. The injured passenger contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and informed an inspector of the accident. The passenger's right leg was broken in two locations during a rough landing. The passenger informed the FAA that she was a paying passenger in the balloon at the time of the accident. The balloon was piloted by a student pilot. The wind velocity recorded nearest the accident site was 6 knots. 14 CFR Part 61.89 states that a student pilot may not carry passengers, or operate an aircraft for compensation or hire.
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: student
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Slayton MN at 10:00 pm
- Destination: Slayton MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 11:16 pm from PQN, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2789N on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Raven S-60 32 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Raven 106 aircraft on the register
- Engine: · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Minnesota 1,544 since 1982 · 209 in the last ten years
- Minnesota 6,953 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI03LA313.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.