Raven RALLY RX7 accident near Davenport, Iowa, January 16, 1985
On January 16, 1985 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Raven RALLY RX7 (balloon), registered N55582, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davenport, Iowa. It was a personal 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 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 16, 1985 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Davenport, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven RALLY RX7
- Registration
- N55582 · no longer on the register · serial RX7-147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BALLOON ENCOUNTERED GUST DURING INITIAL CLIMB AND BEGAN DRIFTING TOWARD WIRES. PLT ELECTED TO DEFLATE & BALLOON COLLIDED WITH WIRES & 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 211 hours in all; 211 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 211 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,470 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from MLI, 9 miles away
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.