What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated that he was participating in a balloon race with gatesway international balloon festival. He had four passengers on board. The winds had picked up before the end of the flight. He selected an open field to land in that was surrounded by trees. He touched the top of the trees to slow forward motion. As he descended, he pulled the envelopee cord about 10 feet above the ground to dump the envelope. When the basket hit the ground, one passenger, who was not holding on at all, fell out. He received minor injuries. The basket was dragged about 25 feet before coming to a stop. The other three pasengers and the pilot were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS PARTICIPATING IN A BALLOON RACE WITH GATESWAY INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FESTIVAL. HE HAD FOUR PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE WINDS HAD PICKED UP BEFORE THE END OF THE FLIGHT. HE SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD TO LAND IN THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY TREES. HE TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE TREES TO SLOW FORWARD MOTION. AS HE DESCENDED, HE PULLED THE ENVELOPEE CORD ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND TO DUMP THE ENVELOPE. WHEN THE BASKET HIT THE GROUND, ONE PASSENGER, WHO WAS NOT HOLDING ON AT ALL, FELL OUT. HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE BASKET WAS DRAGGED ABOUT 25 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE OTHER THREE PASENGERS AND THE PILOT WERE NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.