Raven S60A accident near Mumford, New York, June 9, 2001
On June 9, 2001 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Raven S60A (balloon), registered N28282, suffered minor damage in an accident near Mumford, New York (None airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The ground handler's failure to follow instructions to release her line during the balloon's unintended ascent, due to panic.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2001 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mumford, New York · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S60A · all S60As on the register
- Registration
- N28282 · registry record · serial S60A-3008
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the balloon was aloft in tethered flight, it was caught by a gust of wind, and began to descend rapidly. The pilot added heat to slow the descent, and once the basket contacted the ground, ground crew handlers grabbed handling lines to hold it down. The basket bounced, and the balloon began to ascend. One handler shouted to let go, and two of the three handlers released the basket. A third handler reported that she became "very scared, and froze" on her line. She continued to hold on until she lost her grip when the basket was 15-20 feet in the air. Upon hitting the ground, she suffered a broken leg.
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: 381 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 381 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 5, 1999
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 186 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Mumford NY at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from ROC, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.