Raven S60A accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 14, 1985
On October 14, 1985, a Raven S60A (balloon), registered N4395C, suffered minor damage in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Unknown airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 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
- October 14, 1985
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Unknown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S60A · all S60As on the register
- Registration
- N4395C · no longer on the register · serial 314
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING, WHILE THE BASKET OF A RAVEN BALLOON WAS BEING PULLED BY THE WIND DRIVEN ENVELOPE, IT STRUCK A FENCE AND A MOBILE HOME TRAILER. OF THE FOUR PASSENGERS ABOARD, ONE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND ONE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PILOT STATED THAT IF HE HAD HAD MORE EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE BALLOON, HE MIGHT HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
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: 174 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 174 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 953 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 69 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 pm from ABQ, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 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.