# Incident 20000317021219I: Colt COLT240A, Indio, CA, March 17, 2000

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 17, 2000, 08:15 local time
- Place: Indio, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7206° N, 116.2156° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Indio, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7206&lon=-116.2156&mi=10
- Aircraft: N715TC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N715TC-2013-08-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Thunder & Colt COLT 240A (registry code 8970131, https://openairdocs.org/model/thunder-colt-colt-240a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COLT COLT240A
- People aboard: 11
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,700 total, 500 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000317021219I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-5) MR. GRAY WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE AOVE MENTIONED HOT AIR BALLOON CARRING TEN PASSENGERS FOR A SIGHT SEEING TOUR IN THE DESERT. DURING THIS FLIGHT MR. GRAY OBSERVED AT AN UNKNOWN DISTANCE THAT SAND AND DEBRIS WAS BEING TOSSED AROUND. MR. GRAY MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY FAST LANDING TO AVOID AN ENCOUNTER OF WIND GUSTS. THE PASSENGERS WERE BRIEFED TO SQUAT INSIDE OF THE BASKET AND HOLD ON TO THE EDGE. THIS FAST LANDING RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING TO THE GROUND. THE BALLOON AND BASKET TIPPED ON ITS SIDE. THE WIND CONTINUED TO DRAG THE BASKET AND PASSENGERS APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET ACROSS THE DESERT TERRAIN. ONE PERSON RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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