Raven S-60A accident near Dover, Florida, July 4, 1992
On July 4, 1992 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Raven S-60A (balloon), registered N4037Q, suffered minor damage in an accident near Dover, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS CHOICE OF LANDING AREA NEAR ELECTRICAL LINES AND HIS FAILURE TO EXIT THE BALLOON AND SEEK SAFETY WHEN IT WAS DETERMINED THE DEFLATING BAG WAS GOING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH POWER LINES RESULTING IN HIS RECEIVING ELECTROCUTION INJURIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1992 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Dover, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S-60A · all S-60As on the register
- Registration
- N4037Q · no longer on the register · serial S-60A-230
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BALLOON LANDED IN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET FROM POWER LINES. TWO PASSENGERS EXITED BALLOON AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL DEFLATING BAG AWAY FROM POWER LINES. THE BAG DRAPED OVER POWER LINES AND ELECTRICAL CURRENT TRAVELLED DOWN THE METAL CABLE WHICH CONTROLS THE DEFLATION PORT CAUSING ELECTROCUTION INJURIES TO THE PILOT WHO WAS HOLDING THE CABLE.
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: 44 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 215 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tampa FL at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from TPA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA92LA145.