19990215010849I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Colt 240A · Solana Beach, CA · February 15, 1999

Date: February 15, 1999 · 17:32 local
Place: Solana Beach, CA
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: GBUWO
Reported as: Colt 240A
People aboard: 8
Fatal injuries: 0

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During sightseeing balloon flight, pilot encountered unforcasted gusting winds. Aircraft made an emergency water landing, 200 yards offshore from Solana Beach,CA. Aircraft originally landed inside of the breaker, but due to rough water, pilot launched again and flew further west just outside the breaker. Minor injuries to passengers treated at scene. Aircraft received minor damage during recovery effort. This incident did not involve a NMAC or pilot deviation.

As the FAA filed it

DURING SIGHTSEEING BALLOON FLIGHT, PILOT ENCOUNTERED UNFORCASTED GUSTING WINDS. AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY WATER LANDING, 200 YARDS OFFSHORE FROM SOLANA BEACH,CA. AIRCRAFT ORIGINALLY LANDED INSIDE OF THE BREAKER, BUT DUE TO ROUGH WATER, PILOT LAUNCHED AGAIN AND FLEW FURTHER WEST JUST OUTSIDE THE BREAKER. MINOR INJURIES TO PASSENGERS TREATED AT SCENE. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE DURING RECOVERY EFFORT. THIS INCIDENT DID NOT INVOLVE A NMAC OR PILOT DEVIATION.