Raven S55A accident near Gunnison, Colorado, July 5, 1996
On July 5, 1996 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Raven S55A (balloon), registered N4273Y, was involved in an accident near Gunnison, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper planning/decision. The weather condition (sudden high wind) was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1996 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gunnison, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S55A · all S55As on the register
- Registration
- N4273Y · registry record · serial S55A-982
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon pilot said that when he took off, the wind was calm. After about 15 minutes of flying at 1,000 feet agl, he noticed other balloons at lower altitudes traveling at higher ground speeds. The pilot descended to 200 to 300 feet agl and estimated the wind at that altitude to be in excess of 30 knots. After flying at this altitude for about 10 minutes, the pilot decided to land in an open field. During the high wind landing, one of the two passengers sustained a serious injury. The pilot said that about 15 minutes after the landing, the winds were again calm.
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: 150 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 127 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 461 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,435 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from GUC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.