What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 9, 1999, about 0700 hours mountain standard time, an Aerostar international, inc., S-60A balloon, N3592Z, operated by the aerozona balloon company, sedona, Arizona, made a high wind landing near Clarkdale, Arizona. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured; the fourth passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 aerial sightseeing passenger flight. The balloon was not damaged. The planned local area revenue flight commenced from black canyon, Arizona, about 0615. The pilot reported that he performed a high wind landing in about a 9 mph wind. The pilot stated that he ripped open the envelope's top after touchdown. The basket was dragged about 10 feet before coming to rest, and during this time a bush limb penetrated the basket resulting in serious injuries to the passenger. (.4) the pilot and four fare-paying passengers departed for a local sightseeing flight. The flight was uneventful. The passengers received safety briefings and wore helmets during the high wind landing, in an 8-knot wind. After touchdown, the pilot ripped out the balloon's top, but the basket was d ragged about 10 feet before coming to rest in terrain which had vegetation over 1/2 of its surface. During the slide, a tree branch penetrated the basket through a passenger's step hole. The branch contacted a passenger's leg, which resulted in a serious injury.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 9, 1999, ABOUT 0700 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL, INC., S-60A BALLOON, N3592Z, OPERATED BY THE AEROZONA BALLOON COMPANY, SEDONA, ARIZONA, MADE A HIGH WIND LANDING NEAR CLARKDALE, ARIZONA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED; THE FOURTH PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 AERIAL SIGHTSEEING PASSENGER FLIGHT. THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE PLANNED LOCAL AREA REVENUE FLIGHT COMMENCED FROM BLACK CANYON, ARIZONA, ABOUT 0615. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PERFORMED A HIGH WIND LANDING IN ABOUT A 9 MPH WIND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RIPPED OPEN THE ENVELOPE'S TOP AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE BASKET WAS DRAGGED ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST, AND DURING THIS TIME A BUSH LIMB PENETRATED THE BASKET RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PASSENGER. (.4) THE PILOT AND FOUR FARE-PAYING PASSENGERS DEPARTED FOR A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PASSENGERS RECEIVED SAFETY BRIEFINGS AND WORE HELMETS DURING THE HIGH WIND LANDING, IN AN 8-KNOT WIND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT RIPPED OUT THE BALLOON'S TOP, BUT THE BASKET WAS D RAGGED ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST IN TERRAIN WHICH HAD VEGETATION OVER 1/2 OF ITS SURFACE. DURING THE SLIDE, A TREE BRANCH PENETRATED THE BASKET THROUGH A PASSENGER'S STEP HOLE. THE BRANCH CONTACTED A PASSENGER'S LEG, WHICH RESULTED IN A SERIOUS INJURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.