What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N9005E, carrying two passengers and the pilot, departed norfolk (ofk) airport as part of a balloon festival in conjunction with the ofk airshow. The pilot received a weather brief and noted that the ofk wind was light and variable at the time of the 0600 departure. The wind was forecast to remain light beyond the proposed landing time of 0700. The balloon landed at approximately 0715 in an alfalfa field in winds approximately 15 mph. The balloon touched down and climbed three times while hopping across the field. On the forth landing, the pilot attempted to rapidly deflate the balloon, but not until the aircraft was dragged through an ajoining corn field. No damage occurred to the aircraft, and one passenger received a broken ankle.
As the FAA filed it
N9005E, CARRYING TWO PASSENGERS AND THE PILOT, DEPARTED NORFOLK (OFK) AIRPORT AS PART OF A BALLOON FESTIVAL IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFK AIRSHOW. THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF AND NOTED THAT THE OFK WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT THE TIME OF THE 0600 DEPARTURE. THE WIND WAS FORECAST TO REMAIN LIGHT BEYOND THE PROPOSED LANDING TIME OF 0700. THE BALLOON LANDED AT APPROXIMATELY 0715 IN AN ALFALFA FIELD IN WINDS APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN AND CLIMBED THREE TIMES WHILE HOPPING ACROSS THE FIELD. ON THE FORTH LANDING, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RAPIDLY DEFLATE THE BALLOON, BUT NOT UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS DRAGGED THROUGH AN AJOINING CORN FIELD. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRCRAFT, AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED A BROKEN ANKLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.