Event DEN85LA078

1985-01-13 LITTLETON, Colorado, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N81DS

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA 40

Year of manufacture

2004

Engine

LYCOMING I0360 SER (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20040823

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S AB075F

Registrant of record

MARATHON LEASING INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N81DS Raven S55A None

Factual narrative

THE BALLOON ENVELOPE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AFTER DRAGGING THE BASKET & OCCUPANTS APRX 200 YARDS ALONG AN OPEN FLD AND THROUGH A FENCE WHICH DAMAGED THE BASKET CONTAINING THE OCCUPANTS. THE BALLOON PLT SAID THAT THE WIND WAS ONLY 5 KTS AT TAKEOFF BUT AFTER 30 MINUTES OF FLT A WIND DESCRIBED BY THE PLT AS 'SHEER (SIC) FROM APRX 150 FT TO SURFACE, 30-35 MPH-FLAPGS ON FLAG POLES STANDING STRAIGHT OUT-LOOKED FOR LNDG AREA-VENTED THE BALLOON & PREPARED FOR LNDG.' FURTHER ATATEMENT BY THE PLT CONTAINED INFO THAT THE VENT OPENING CREATED A SAIL EFFECT TO INCREASE THE RESULTANT DRAG. PLT ALSO SAID, 'TRIED PULLING TOP OUT OF BALLOON BUT ONLY 1/3 OF TOP RELEASED CAUSING A DRAGGING EFFECT.' THE BALLOON ENVELOPE FINALLY CONTACTED & DRAPED OVER THE POWER LINES & WAS DAMAGED DURING THE CONTACT & LATER DURING REMOVAL. INTERVIEWS WITH SEVERAL COMMERCIAL BALLOON PLTS & A REPRESENTATIVE OF RAVEN INDUSTRIES, SIOUX FALLS, SD, REVEALED THAT MOST BALLOON PLTS CAN EXPECT A SAFE LNDG IN WINDS OF 10 MPH OR LESS & A RISK IN HIGHER WINDS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_DEN85LA078.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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