Raven Industries INC S-66A accident near Avra Valley, Arizona, March 16, 2012
On March 16, 2012 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Raven Industries INC S-66A (balloon), registered N57194, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Avra Valley, Arizona. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to partially open the balloon's vent before clearing a power line while landing, which resulted in the balloon descending too soon and contacting the power line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2012 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Avra Valley, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven Industries INC S-66A
- Registration
- N57194 · registry record · serial S66A-115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the balloon was traveling 5 to 7 knots west toward a road oriented north-south with a power line running along the east side of the road. Beyond the power line and road was a large area of open desert where the pilot planned to land. When the balloon was about 100 yards from the lines at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level, the pilot began setting the balloon up for landing by cracking open the vent-top of the envelope. The pilot operated one of the two burners to compensate for the expected loss of lift from the partly open top; however, the balloon began a slow descent instead of maintaining altitude, and the descent rate seemed to accelerate. In response, the pilot operated both burners and looked up at the top of the balloon, which he found was over a third open instead of the expected 2- to 3-foot crack. Realizing that the balloon’s glidepath would now result in the basket impacting the upper wire of the power line, the pilot decided to fully open the top of the balloon and land short of the power line. The balloon descended and impacted the power line wires with the basket suspension cables contacting more than one wire, which resulted in electrical arcing. The envelope folded over the wires, and the basket came to rest on the ground. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by initiating the set-up for landing only after crossing the last obstacle before the landing area.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 2,280 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 14, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 336 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 2011
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AVQ Marana AZ at 1:45 pm
- Destination: Avra Valley AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from RYN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 6 |
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 WPR12LA138.