Raven RALLY RX7 accident near Aibirm, Washington, January 15, 1984
On January 15, 1984 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Raven RALLY RX7 (balloon), registered N57090, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aibirm, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 15, 1984 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aibirm, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven RALLY RX7
- Registration
- N57090 · registry record · serial RX7-2200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE WIND SHIFTED DURING LANDING AND THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND LIFTED OFF AGAIN. WITH POWER LINES AHEAD A DECISION WAS MADE TO CROSS OVER BUT THE BALLOON STRUCK THE LINES. SEVERAL CABLES WERE BURNED THROUGH AND THE BALLOON WAS TORN NEAR THE SKIRT.
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: 99 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 155 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kent WA at 4:35 pm
- Destination: S50 Auburn WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from BFI, 15 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.
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.