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CHI92LA016

1991-10-18 · WARSAW, Indiana, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ASW

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

PILOT'S DELAYED INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO LAND.

Factual narrative

A COMMERCIAL PILOT BEGAN A BALLOON FLIGHT IN LATE AFTERNOON AND ATTEMPTED LANDING AT SUNSET. TWO ATTEMPTED LANDINGS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL WHEN THE CHASE CREW COULD NOT CATCH THE GROUND LINES IN THE WIND DRIFT. THE BALLOON REMAINED AIRBORNE AFTER DARK. THE PILOT STATED HE COULD NOT READ INSTRUMENTS NOR MAKE OUT OBSTACLES FOR LANDING FOR LACK OF AVAILABLE LIGHT. HE LATER FOUND A FIELD, MADE A RAPID DESCENT AND LANDED HARD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI92LA016.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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