Raven S77A accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, May 5, 1985
On May 5, 1985 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Raven S77A (balloon), registered N4199G, was involved in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 9 others were 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
- May 5, 1985 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 9 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S77A
- Registration
- N4199G · no longer on the register · serial 577A-103
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON BASKET CONTAINING 8 PASS'G & 2 CREWMEMBERS BRUSHED ALONGSIDE A FENCE DURING LNDG. ONE PASS'G WHO HAD BEEN JOSTLED BY THE LANDING BECAME A VICTIM OF 1ACERATIONS & A BROKEN ARM FROM CONTACT WITH BARBED WIRE FENCE. THE PLT STATED THAT THE WIND WAS GUSTING AND SHIFTED DIRECTIONS JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN WHICH DRIFTED THE BALLOON TOWARD THE FENCE. THE WIND WAS 180 DEGREES AT 10 KTS, GUSTING TO 15 KTS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TRIED TO CLIMB OVER THE FENCE, BUT THE BALLOONS RESPONSE WAS TOO SLOW. THIS LED TO THE VICTIMS INJUUIES BY BEING CAUGHT BETWEEN FENCE ANC BASKET. THE EVLUATION OF THE WX BEFORE TAKE OFF SHOWED THE WX STABLE ENOUGH FOR INFLATION & TAKEOFF. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF POTENTIAL FOR LNDG. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF THE BALLOON WAS DRIFTING NORTH AT 15 MPH. THIS SPEED DID NOT DECREASE AS THE ACFT DESCENDED FOR LNDG AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF FREE FLT. THE PLT HAD ABOUT 25 FLT HRS IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF BALLOON OF WHICH 2 WAS DUAL (INSTRUCTIONAL).
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1984; 69 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fort Collins CO at 12:56 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 7 |
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.