Avian Balloon Skyhawk accident near Cottageville, West Virginia, October 23, 2002
On October 23, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Avian Balloon Skyhawk, registered N71AV, was involved in an accident near Cottageville, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision not to over fly the landing area, which resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cottageville, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Avian Balloon Skyhawk · all Skyhawks on the register
- Registration
- N71AV · registry record · serial 71
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the balloon was positioned to land at a "selected-predicted" field, the pilot observed power lines in the decent path, and the elected to abort the landing. The pilot fired the main burner, and realized that the balloon would not climb above the power lines. Unable to deflate the balloon or stop the forward momentum, he ordered the passenger to jump from the basket. The pilot secured the fuel system and jumped to the ground. The balloon then struck and slid down the power lines, before descending to the ground. The landing field was about 600 feet in length, with a tree line at the approach end. About 120 feet beyond the tree line, were utility power lines and an electric fence. No obstacles were observed beyond the power lines for the remainder of the field along the balloons flight path. According to the Balloon Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-11), "It is usually better to fly over an obstacle and land beyond it than to land in front of it. Over fly powerlines, trees, and water, among other obstacles, on the way to the landing, rather than attempting to land in front of them and risk being dragged into them."
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 108 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 98 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Cottageville WV at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PKB, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 NYC03LA013.