Aerostar S57-A accident near Windermere, Florida, May 26, 2000
On May 26, 2000 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Aerostar S57-A (balloon), registered N6341V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Windermere, Florida. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an in-flight collision with a tree. A factor in this accident was high wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2000 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Windermere, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar S57-A
- Registration
- N6341V · registry record · serial S57A-3118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon was tethered with a three-point, 3/4-inch rope top harness system, anchored on the upwind sides to two trees and on the downwind side to a truck. The last four passengers boarded, and the pilot was waiting for the wind speed to decrease when the balloon was suddenly launched on its own and was thrown to the top of the harness, about 80 feet, in less then 2 seconds. The pilot initiated emergency procedures, but was unsuccessful in bringing the balloon back to the ground, because the force of the wind was pushing the balloon upward. The two upwind lines broke leaving the balloon dangling about 100 feet in the air over power lines. After 30 seconds the downwind line broke initiating free flight. The pilot was able to stabilize the balloon enough to initiate an emergency landing. The balloon impacted with trees about 1/8 of a mile downwind of the original tether site.
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: 78 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 70 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 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.