# Accident 20100317030889A: Ultramagic S-160, San Diego, CA, March 17, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 17, 2010, 18:45 local time
- Place: San Diego, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9928° N, 117.1692° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9928&lon=-117.1692&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30048, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30048) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ultramagic S-160 (registry code 9130006, https://openairdocs.org/model/ultramagic-s-160) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ULTRAMAGIC S-160
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 9
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 891 total, 88 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR10LA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA169) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100317030889A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED ON A BALLOON SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 WITH EIGHT PASSENGERS.  HE BEGAN THE FLIGHT WITH THREE FULL 20 GALLON TANKS OF PROPANE .  HE STATED THAT EACH TANK HAS APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES OF BURN TIME EACH.  HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN IN THE AIR FOR APPROXIMATELY 52 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.  HE STATES THAT WHEN HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FORM HIS PLANNED LANDING SITE HE WAS APPROACHING A SET OF 230 KV POWERLINES AND THE WIND HAD "BECALMED" AND HE HAD LESS THAN 2 KNOTS OF FORWARD SPEED.  HE STATED THAT HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF FUEL LEFT WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE PROVIDED ENOUGH PRESSURE TO CLIMB OVER THE POWERLINES AND THEN HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD ALTITUDE TO WAIT FOR WIND TO PUSH THE BALLOON  PAST THE POWER LINES.  HE WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT LANDING IN THE HOUSING AREA JUST EAST OF THE POWERLINES IF HE DID MANAGE TO CLEAR THE POWER LINES.  HE DECIDED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND LANDING BY PULLING THE HOT AIR RELEASE ROPE.  THE BALLOON BEGAN A DESCENT TO THE GROUND AND MADE A HARD LANDING FROM APPROXIMATELY 750 FEET MSL.  AFTER THE EMERGENCY LANDING, THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED BROKEN BONES AND OTHER INJURIES.  THEY WERE TRANSPORTED BY THE SAN DIEGO CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.  WHEN ASKED WHY HE DIDN'T LAND SOONER, HE SAID THAT HE WAS AFRAID OF THE LOCAL PARK RANGERS WHO TICKETED THE BALLOON PILOTS IF THEY LANDED ON CITY OPEN PARK PROPERTIES.  THIS INDICATES A LACK OF PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING AND PROPER RISK ASSESMENT.

## 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 WPR10LA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA169), Mar 18, 2010: Ultramagic S-160 (N30048), Rancho Santa Fe, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A reduction of burner/heat production due to low fuel. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's continued flight with a low fuel status.

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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