What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 27, 2010, landstrand balloon model 77A, serial number 5128, registration number N60029 was landing in a field near Ponca, Arkansas as part of a sightseeing flight when the balloon struck a tree, spun, and hit the ground three times before coming to rest. Upon contacting the ground the second time the gondola tilted onto its side and the 73 year old female passenger's upper body hit the ground resulting in a deep laceration to the left side of her face along her nose, a broken nose, and a broken cheek bone. The male passenger and commercial rated pilot were not injured. The balloon suffered a slight tear in the fabric and the gondola received only ground scuff marks. The flight was being operated as a 14 code of federal regulations part 91 flight in visual meteorological conditions.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 27, 2010, LANDSTRAND BALLOON MODEL 77A, SERIAL NUMBER 5128, REGISTRATION NUMBER N60029 WAS LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR PONCA, ARKANSAS AS PART OF A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WHEN THE BALLOON STRUCK A TREE, SPUN, AND HIT THE GROUND THREE TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST. UPON CONTACTING THE GROUND THE SECOND TIME THE GONDOLA TILTED ONTO ITS SIDE AND THE 73 YEAR OLD FEMALE PASSENGER'S UPPER BODY HIT THE GROUND RESULTING IN A DEEP LACERATION TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HER FACE ALONG HER NOSE, A BROKEN NOSE, AND A BROKEN CHEEK BONE. THE MALE PASSENGER AND COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. THE BALLOON SUFFERED A SLIGHT TEAR IN THE FABRIC AND THE GONDOLA RECEIVED ONLY GROUND SCUFF MARKS. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 FLIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.