Raven S-55A accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, September 11, 1983
On September 11, 1983 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Raven S-55A (balloon), registered N2732R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico. 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
- September 11, 1983 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S-55A · all S-55As on the register
- Registration
- N2732R · no longer on the register · serial S55A-425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND THE BALLOON BETWEEN 2 POWER LINES. DURING THE LANDING, THE BALLOON IMPACTED ANOTHER POWER LINE THAT WAS INSTALLED ACROSS THE MAIN LINES. ELECTRICAL ARCING OCCURRING OCCURRED. THE BALLOON ATTACHMENT CABLES, SKIRT & GONDOLA WERE SCORCHED & BURNED DURING THE OCCURRENCE. THE PLT SAID HE DIDN'T SEE THE POWER LINE.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 313 hours in all; 313 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 155 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,435 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.