Aerostar S60A accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 1, 1995
On October 1, 1995 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Aerostar S60A (balloon), registered N63286, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES DURING THE APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE SUDDEN WIND GUST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1995 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar S60A
- Registration
- N63286 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL FLIGHT, THE BALLOON PILOT COMMENCED AN APPROACH TO LAND IN A FIELD LOCATED BETWEEN POWER LINES AND AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHE 'PASSED OVER THE POWER LINES', AND ABOUT 20 FEET PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN, A 'SUDDEN, STRONG GUST OF WIND' PUSHED THE BALLOON 'DOWNWARD AND BACKWARD.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE POWER LINES THAT SHE HAD JUST PASSED OVER, AND THE BASKET CONTACTED THE GROUND. AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND, THE BALLOON BEGAN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS AND CONTACTED ANOTHER 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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1995; 26 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 095° at 6 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°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.
Other NTSB records under N63286 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.