Raven S55A accident near Lakeville, New York, July 15, 1984
On July 15, 1984, a Raven S55A (balloon), registered N40238, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeville, New York (Open Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- July 15, 1984
- Place
- Lakeville, New York · Open Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven S55A · all S55As on the register
- Registration
- N40238 · registry record · serial UNKNOWN
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED THAT AS THE BALLOON APPROACHED A FIELD FOR LANDING, IN DIM LIGHT, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE GONDOLA WAS GOING TO HIT POWER LINES. THE WOODEN GONDOLA HIT THE TOP WIRE AND THE PLT JUMPED APPROXIMATELY 33 FT TO THE GROUND SUSTAINING SERIOUS INJURIES. SPARKS IGNITED THE PROPANE TANKS IN THE GONDOLA AND THE BASKET WAS ENGULFED BY A FIREBALL.
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, student
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1984; 26 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.