Raven S55A accident near Mishawaka, Indiana, July 4, 1988
On July 4, 1988 at about 1:00 am local time, a Raven S55A (balloon), registered N4186E, was involved in an accident near Mishawaka, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- July 4, 1988 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Mishawaka, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S55A · all S55As on the register
- Registration
- N4186E · no longer on the register · serial S55A882
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SHORT PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT OF THE BALLOON MADE A LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE GONDOLA TURNED OVER AND WAS DRAGGED THROUGH THE FIELD. THE PAX SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES.
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: 164 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 188 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1988; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,435 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.