Raven RALLY RX-7 accident near Lockney, Texas, January 1, 1986
On January 1, 1986 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Raven RALLY RX-7 (balloon), registered N2796C, was involved in an accident near Lockney, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- January 1, 1986 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lockney, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven RALLY RX-7
- Registration
- N2796C · registry record · serial RX-7-418
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT CHECKED THE WIND FORECAST WHEN HE CALLED FOR A WEATHER BRIEFING ABOUT FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE SURFACE WINDS INCREASED TO 30 GUSTING 40 KTS WHILE HE WAS AIRBORNE. HE REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LANDED, HE WAS NOT PROPERLY BRACED FOR THE LANDING AND HE SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG.
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: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1985; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Ransom TX at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.