Barnes AX-7 accident near Batavia, Illinois, June 24, 1984
On June 24, 1984 at about 1:05 am local time, a Barnes AX-7 (balloon), registered N4048F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Batavia, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- June 24, 1984 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Batavia, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Barnes AX-7
- Registration
- N4048F · no longer on the register · serial 7914
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING BEFORE THE FLT. THE 1950 SURFACE OBSERVATION REPORTED WINDS FROM 090 DEG AT 4 KTS. DURING FLT, THE WINDS SUDDENLY PICKED UP & THE PLT ATTEMPTED A LANDING. A RAPID RATE OF DESCENT DEVELOPED & THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH TREES BEFORE THE DESCENT RATE COULD BE CORRECTED. THE 2008 SPECIAL OBSERVATION REPORTED WINDS FROM 350 DEG AT 15 KTS GUSTING 25 KTS.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 94 in this make and model; 94 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 94 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Geneva IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 350° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:08 am from DPA, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.