Raven RALLEY RX7 accident near Englewood, Colorado, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Raven RALLEY RX7 (balloon), registered N4036Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A HARD LANDING AND INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE BALLOON HEATER. A FACTOR WAS: INADVERTENT ENTANGLEMENT OF A LOAD CABLE WITH THE HEATER ACTIVATION DEVICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven RALLEY RX7
- Registration
- N4036Y · no longer on the register · serial RX7-304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING, THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND THE BASKET TIPPED OVER. A LOAD CABLE INADVERTENTLY TANGLED IN THE HEATER ACTIVATION DEVICE AND LIT THE BURNER WHICH SET THE ENVELOPE AND SURROUNDING GRASS ON FIRE. THE PILOT EXTINGUISHED BOTH FIRES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,544 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,503 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 201 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,480 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Englewood CO at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
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.