# Accident 20080912849279A: Camero Z150, Sand Down, NH, September 12, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 12, 2008, 07:30 local time
- Place: Sand Down, NH
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.9286° N, 71.1869° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9286&lon=-71.1869&mi=10
- Aircraft: N151TS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N151TS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cameron Balloons Z-150 (registry code 1880434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-z-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CAMERO Z150
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 902 total, 149 in this make and model, 64 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA08CA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA193) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080912849279A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT NOTED EARLY IN THE FLIGHT THE WINDS HAD INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.  HE DESCENDED TO ASSESS HOW CLOSE TO THE GROUND THE INCREASED WIND WERE SO HE COULD START TO PLAN FOR LANDING.  AS THE BALLOON CAME CLOSE TO TREE LEVEL HE EXPERIENCED INCREASED WIND SPEEDS.  HE DECIDED DUE TO THE INCREASED WINDS THAT HE WOULD LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  IN ORDER TO PILOT THE BALLOON TO THE FIELDS HE WOULD NEED TO CLIMB TO A HIGHER ALTITUDE TO EASTERLY WIND THAT WOULD TAKE HIM OVER THE FIELDS.  THE WINDS INCREASED THE BALLOONS SPEED TO ONE THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PILOT TO SAFELY LAND IN THE FIELDS.  HE WAS FORCED TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT TO THE NORTHEAST.  GIVEN FUEL MANAGEMENT CONCERNS, THE PILOT HAD TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  THE PILOT ALLOWED THE BALLOON BASKET TO DRAG THROUGH THE TOP OF THE TREES DOWNWIND OF THE SITE IN AN EFFORT TO SLOW HIS HORIZONTAL SPEED.  ONCE CLEAR OF THE TREES AND OVER THE LANDING SITE HE VENTED THE BALLOON TO FACILITATE A FAST DESCENT INTO THE FIELD.  HE INFORMED THE PASSENGERS THAT HE WOULD HAVE A VERY HARD LANDING AND TO GET READY FOR IMPACT.  THE HIGH WINDS CAUSED THE BALLOON TO LAND A UNSAFE AIR SPEED.  THE PASSENGERS THAT WERE INJURED WERE NOT IN THE CORRECT DITCHING POSITION FOR A HARD LANDING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA08CA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA193), Sep 12, 2008: Cameron Balloons Z-150 (N151TS), Sandown, NH, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s encounter with high winds during approach. Contributing to the severity of injuries was the passengers' improper landing preparation.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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