What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/05/09, at approximately 0900 MDT, N369LB, a lindstrand balloon, approached to land in a field during high winds. The pilot landed hard and caught a tree root on the basket handle on the bottom of the basket. When this happened it ejected the male passenger. The ballon became airborne again and drifted 100 ft north and ejected the pilot and female passenger. The balloon freed itself and flew un-occupied to the santa ana casino where it landed in the parking lot. Upon landing, it flew through a fence and the evelope caught on a light pole, bending it to the ground. The balloon sustained minor damage to 9 panels. The pilot and two passenger sustained cuts and bruises only.
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/05/09, AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 MDT, N369LB, A LINDSTRAND BALLOON, APPROACHED TO LAND IN A FIELD DURING HIGH WINDS. THE PILOT LANDED HARD AND CAUGHT A TREE ROOT ON THE BASKET HANDLE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BASKET. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT EJECTED THE MALE PASSENGER. THE BALLON BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND DRIFTED 100 FT NORTH AND EJECTED THE PILOT AND FEMALE PASSENGER. THE BALLOON FREED ITSELF AND FLEW UN-OCCUPIED TO THE SANTA ANA CASINO WHERE IT LANDED IN THE PARKING LOT. UPON LANDING, IT FLEW THROUGH A FENCE AND THE EVELOPE CAUGHT ON A LIGHT POLE, BENDING IT TO THE GROUND. THE BALLOON SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO 9 PANELS. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGER SUSTAINED CUTS AND BRUISES ONLY.
Other reports on N369LB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.