What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) July 27, 2002, pilot scott nash notified the rap FSDO of an aircraft accident that occurred at 6:45 am at Custer State park. The aircraft reported was an Aerostar S77A balloon with eight passengers. The aircraft made a hard landing and two passengers were injured, one minor and one serious, with no damage to the aircraft. Mr. Nash stated that the weather was checked through national weather service, flight service station, local computer weather and a piball at the launch site. The weather forceasted winds to be calm on the ground in the morning and increase to around 7 mph by 10:00 am. Mr. Nash was the third to take off out of nine balloons that launced that morning. The winds picked up above 200 feet and were higher than expected when he cleared the tree line for landing. Inspector dan walsh performed the on scene investigation. (.19) on July 27, 2002, at 0645 mountain daylight time, N2867W, an Aerostar international balloon S-77A, experienced a hard landing in Custer, south dakota. The pilot was not injured. One passenger was seriously injuried, one passenger received a minor injury and six passengers were not injured. The balloon was not damaged. The title 14 CFR part 91 business flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated in Custer, south dakota, at 0600.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) JULY 27, 2002, PILOT SCOTT NASH NOTIFIED THE RAP FSDO OF AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AT 6:45 AM AT CUSTER STATE PARK. THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED WAS AN AEROSTAR S77A BALLOON WITH EIGHT PASSENGERS. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE INJURED, ONE MINOR AND ONE SERIOUS, WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. MR. NASH STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS CHECKED THROUGH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, LOCAL COMPUTER WEATHER AND A PIBALL AT THE LAUNCH SITE. THE WEATHER FORCEASTED WINDS TO BE CALM ON THE GROUND IN THE MORNING AND INCREASE TO AROUND 7 MPH BY 10:00 AM. MR. NASH WAS THE THIRD TO TAKE OFF OUT OF NINE BALLOONS THAT LAUNCED THAT MORNING. THE WINDS PICKED UP ABOVE 200 FEET AND WERE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED WHEN HE CLEARED THE TREE LINE FOR LANDING. INSPECTOR DAN WALSH PERFORMED THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION. (.19) ON JULY 27, 2002, AT 0645 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, N2867W, AN AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL BALLOON S-77A, EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING IN CUSTER, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURIED, ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY AND SIX PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN CUSTER, SOUTH DAKOTA, AT 0600.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.