American Blimp Corporation A-1-50 accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, May 22, 2004
On May 22, 2004 at about 4:15 pm local time, a American Blimp Corporation A-1-50 (airship), registered N154ZP, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas airport). It was a positioning 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
the ground crew's inability to maintain control of the airship and the pilot's inability to obtain a sufficient rate of climb. Contributing to the accident was unfavorable winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2004 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- North Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Blimp Corporation A-1-50
- Registration
- N154ZP · registry record · serial SN104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an attempted takeoff the airship collided with a one-story building. The crew released the airship from the mooring mast to conduct its weigh-out and takeoff. A gust of wind caused the ship to translate to the right. The nose ropes manned by the ground crew were ineffective in controlling the movement. The pilot decided to execute a takeoff. However, being fully loaded, the airship was slow to respond despite the pilot's application of full power, full left rudder, and full up elevator control inputs. The landing gear hit the chain link airport fence, and then the airship settled on to a one-story building. The ground crew released the ballast and moved the airship back to the airfield. A second wind gust pushed the airship in to the next building over. The crew deflated the entire envelope and removed it off the building.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 5,149 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1G6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVGT North Las Vegas NV
- Destination: KLGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KVGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.