What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 9, 2001 at approximately 1945 hrs a balloon, N28282, s/n S60A-3008 was being operated for tethered rides under 14 CFR 91 for a private event at genesee country museum in Mumford, NY. Wind speed increased while balloon was airborne and caused balloon to descend rapidly. Heat was added to slow descent. Upon ground contact, crew members grabbed the basket handling lines. Basket bounced and began to ascend. One crew member shouted "let go" and two released. One continued to hold on but lost her grip at approximately 15-20 feet above ground level. She dropped to the ground, suffering a broken leg. The crew member later stated she heard the instruction to let go, but froze. The pilot and three passengers were uninjured. Additionally, the wind pushed the balloon skirt into the flame path of the burner during descent. Approximately 50% of the skirt material was melted. The pilot had obtained a weather briefing prior to the original 1600 departure. Several liftoffs and landings were completed by 1715 when wind conditions were found to be unsteady and the balloon was deflated. Wind diminished to steady 4-5 mph or less and balloon was reinflated at 1900.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 9, 2001 AT APPROXIMATELY 1945 HRS A BALLOON, N28282, S/N S60A-3008 WAS BEING OPERATED FOR TETHERED RIDES UNDER 14 CFR 91 FOR A PRIVATE EVENT AT GENESEE COUNTRY MUSEUM IN MUMFORD, NY. WIND SPEED INCREASED WHILE BALLOON WAS AIRBORNE AND CAUSED BALLOON TO DESCEND RAPIDLY. HEAT WAS ADDED TO SLOW DESCENT. UPON GROUND CONTACT, CREW MEMBERS GRABBED THE BASKET HANDLING LINES. BASKET BOUNCED AND BEGAN TO ASCEND. ONE CREW MEMBER SHOUTED "LET GO" AND TWO RELEASED. ONE CONTINUED TO HOLD ON BUT LOST HER GRIP AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. SHE DROPPED TO THE GROUND, SUFFERING A BROKEN LEG. THE CREW MEMBER LATER STATED SHE HEARD THE INSTRUCTION TO LET GO, BUT FROZE. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. ADDITIONALLY, THE WIND PUSHED THE BALLOON SKIRT INTO THE FLAME PATH OF THE BURNER DURING DESCENT. APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE SKIRT MATERIAL WAS MELTED. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO THE ORIGINAL 1600 DEPARTURE. SEVERAL LIFTOFFS AND LANDINGS WERE COMPLETED BY 1715 WHEN WIND CONDITIONS WERE FOUND TO BE UNSTEADY AND THE BALLOON WAS DEFLATED. WIND DIMINISHED TO STEADY 4-5 MPH OR LESS AND BALLOON WAS REINFLATED AT 1900.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.