Raven S-60A accident near Pompano Beach, Florida, January 5, 1985
On January 5, 1985 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Raven S-60A (balloon), registered N4270A, suffered minor damage in an accident near Pompano Beach, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1985 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pompano Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S-60A · all S-60As on the register
- Registration
- N4270A · registry record · serial S60A-289
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON ENVELOPE STRUCK A PALM TREE AND A BUILDING WHILE LANDING. THE BASKET TURNED OVER WHEN IT CONTACTED THE GROUND. A PASSENGER WAS INJURED WHEN ANOTHER PASSENGER FELL ON HER AS THE BASKET TURNED OVER.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 133 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None HP2D (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Deerfield Beach FL
- Destination: PMP Pompano Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 pm from FXE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.