What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The balloon took off in 6 knot winds. Within a few minutes the pilot noticed groundspeed increasing to over 35 knots. The envelope started collapsing forcing the pilot to attmept an emergency landing. Pilot pulled rip cord at 50 feet to quickly release the hot air and try and make an open field. High rate of decent caused balloon to hit hard causing the injuries and then bounce twice before dragging to a stop. Pilot had requested weather information less than 1 hour before takeoff. The gus front they encountered from storms located 40 miles north was not forcasted for his intended flight.
As the FAA filed it
THE BALLOON TOOK OFF IN 6 KNOT WINDS. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE PILOT NOTICED GROUNDSPEED INCREASING TO OVER 35 KNOTS. THE ENVELOPE STARTED COLLAPSING FORCING THE PILOT TO ATTMEPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING. PILOT PULLED RIP CORD AT 50 FEET TO QUICKLY RELEASE THE HOT AIR AND TRY AND MAKE AN OPEN FIELD. HIGH RATE OF DECENT CAUSED BALLOON TO HIT HARD CAUSING THE INJURIES AND THEN BOUNCE TWICE BEFORE DRAGGING TO A STOP. PILOT HAD REQUESTED WEATHER INFORMATION LESS THAN 1 HOUR BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE GUS FRONT THEY ENCOUNTERED FROM STORMS LOCATED 40 MILES NORTH WAS NOT FORCASTED FOR HIS INTENDED FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.