Raven RX-6 accident near Sellersburg, Indiana, April 18, 1982
On April 18, 1982 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Raven RX-6 (balloon), registered N2224R, was destroyed in an accident near Sellersburg, Indiana (Clark County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1982 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Sellersburg, Indiana · Clark County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven RX-6
- Registration
- N2224R · no longer on the register · serial 295
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING APPROACH, THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF POWERLINES TO THE LEFT OF HIS COURSE. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, HE BECAME AWARE OF A BRANCH OFF OF THE POWERLINES THAT CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE BALLOON'S PATH. HE RIPPED OUT THE TOP INFLATION PANEL; HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE POWERLINES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE TOP WIRE SEPARATED AND STARTED A GRASS FIRE THAT ULTIMATELY SPREAD AND DESTROYED THE BASKET AND 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 106 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 86 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 107 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,435 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Silver Lake IN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Silver Lake IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from LOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.