Aerostar S-77A accident near Davis, California, July 3, 1995
On July 3, 1995 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Aerostar S-77A (balloon), registered N6317U, suffered minor damage in an accident near Davis, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgement of the balloon's excessive rate-of-descent in a high wind landing and her inadequate remedial action to correct the condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1995 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Davis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar S-77A
- Registration
- N6317U · no longer on the register · serial S77A-3013
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING THE BALLOON WHEN IT BEGAN TO DESCEND RAPIDLY. THE BASKET CONTACTED THE GROUND, TIPPED FORWARD, AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE EJECTED. AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND WITH THE BASKET, THE BALLOON CONTINUED BACK INTO THE AIR. WINDS WERE REPORTED BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH AT THE TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHE HAD OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS ON WINDY LANDINGS. THE BALLOON MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE ARE NO ESTABLISHED WIND LIMITS (LAUNCH OR LANDING) FOR OPERATION OF THE BALLOON, AND THAT OPERATIONAL WIND LIMITATIONS ARE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PILOT, BASED ON EXPERIENCE AND ABILITY.
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: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 564 hours in all; 183 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 795 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1995; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2Q3 Davis Woodland CA at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from SMF, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 | 6 |
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 N6317U 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.