20040523010559A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Camron N-90 · Whately, MA · May 23, 2004

Date: May 23, 2004 · 19:00 local
Place: Whately, MA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6123U
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC04CA128
Reported as: Camron N90
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,225 total297 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N6123URegistration cancelled Nov 28, 2007 · Cameron Balloons US N-90S/N 5545 · Built 1989 Airframe modelCameron Balloons US N-90 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) The balloon encountered some low level wind shear as it approached the tree line on a descent to a landing site. The winds aloft were very light and since there was little forward movement of the balloon it settled into the trees next to the landing site. The balloon then settled out of the trees at about ten feet off the ground and free falled to a hard landing. One passenger broke her leg as a result of the landing, when the balloon settled into the trees.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED SOME LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AS IT APPROACHED THE TREE LINE ON A DESCENT TO A LANDING SITE. THE WINDS ALOFT WERE VERY LIGHT AND SINCE THERE WAS LITTLE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE BALLOON IT SETTLED INTO THE TREES NEXT TO THE LANDING SITE. THE BALLOON THEN SETTLED OUT OF THE TREES AT ABOUT TEN FEET OFF THE GROUND AND FREE FALLED TO A HARD LANDING. ONE PASSENGER BROKE HER LEG AS A RESULT OF THE LANDING, WHEN THE BALLOON SETTLED INTO THE TREES.

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 NYC04CA128Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportWhately, MAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees. A factor was windshear.May 23, 2004 · Minor damage