20040522009089A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · LBL 180ALBL · Ridgeway, CO · May 22, 2004

Date: May 22, 2004 · 08:00 local
Place: Ridgeway, CO
Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N60181
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN04CA072
Reported as: LBL 180ALBL
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,330 total3 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N60181Registration cancelled Mar 6, 2021 · Lindstrand Balloons 180AS/N 5135 · Built 2000 Airframe modelLindstrand Balloons 180A Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 5/22/04, balloon pilot mark irving was flying a balloon, a lindstrand 180A, N60181, near Ridgeway, CO. He was carrying six passengers and was part of a "balloon event" with several other balloons participating. After a 20 minute flight he landed his balloon. The winds were light and forecast to be light for several hours. After he landed his balloon, a strong gust of wind caused the balloon to become airborne. The balloon struck a boat, a truck and the edge of the roof of a house, causing minor damage to the boat, truck and house. The balloon came to rest and three of the passengers sustained minor injuries. There was minor damage to the balloon. It appears the cause of the incident was due to a strong gusty wind that was not forecast.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 5/22/04, BALLOON PILOT MARK IRVING WAS FLYING A BALLOON, A LINDSTRAND 180A, N60181, NEAR RIDGEWAY, CO. HE WAS CARRYING SIX PASSENGERS AND WAS PART OF A "BALLOON EVENT" WITH SEVERAL OTHER BALLOONS PARTICIPATING. AFTER A 20 MINUTE FLIGHT HE LANDED HIS BALLOON. THE WINDS WERE LIGHT AND FORECAST TO BE LIGHT FOR SEVERAL HOURS. AFTER HE LANDED HIS BALLOON, A STRONG GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE BALLOON TO BECOME AIRBORNE. THE BALLOON STRUCK A BOAT, A TRUCK AND THE EDGE OF THE ROOF OF A HOUSE, CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE BOAT, TRUCK AND HOUSE. THE BALLOON CAME TO REST AND THREE OF THE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON. IT APPEARS THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO A STRONG GUSTY WIND THAT WAS NOT FORECAST.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN04CA072Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportRidgeway, COthe sudden wind gusts and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the balloon resulting in the balloon's basket impacting two vehicles and a house, and subsequently impacting the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were the two vehicles, the house,…May 22, 2004 · Minor damage