OpenAirDocs.org

20130421005859A

Accident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cameron Balloons US Z-225 · Vincetown, PA · April 21, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 21, 2013 · 07:30 local
Place
Vincetown, PA
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N65625
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA13LA212
Reported as
Cameron Balloons US Z-225
Reported engine
NONE NONE
People aboard
11
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
4
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
3,000 total350 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days
N65625Registered now · Cameron Balloons US Z-225S/N 6630 · Built 2011Airframe modelCameron Balloons US Z-225Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Balloon approach to landing impacted the ground hard and tipped over on its side up to a 45 degree angle. Pilot and 10 passengers on board where tossed around inside the basket. As the basket was dragged foward the back end of the basket lifted up causing the passengers in the back to be ejected falling foward and impacting various parts of the basket and burner system. Passengers falling foward experienced second degree burns when a propane flash ignited caused by the on/off valve of the burner being impacted by one of the passengers and turned on for a short period of time. One other passenger experienced first degree burns. The balloon envelope was damaged (torn) by tree limbs upon landing.

As the FAA filed it

BALLOON APPROACH TO LANDING IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD AND TIPPED OVER ON ITS SIDE UP TO A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. PILOT AND 10 PASSENGERS ON BOARD WHERE TOSSED AROUND INSIDE THE BASKET. AS THE BASKET WAS DRAGGED FOWARD THE BACK END OF THE BASKET LIFTED UP CAUSING THE PASSENGERS IN THE BACK TO BE EJECTED FALLING FOWARD AND IMPACTING VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BASKET AND BURNER SYSTEM. PASSENGERS FALLING FOWARD EXPERIENCED SECOND DEGREE BURNS WHEN A PROPANE FLASH IGNITED CAUSED BY THE ON/OFF VALVE OF THE BURNER BEING IMPACTED BY ONE OF THE PASSENGERS AND TURNED ON FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ONE OTHER PASSENGER EXPERIENCED FIRST DEGREE BURNS. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WAS DAMAGED (TORN) BY TREE LIMBS UPON LANDING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA13LA212Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportChester Springs, PAThe pilot's failure to extinguish the burner pilot lights prior to a hard landing in windy conditions.Apr 21, 2013 · Minor damage

Other reports on N65625 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20140615008599ALanding: Touchdown · Spring City, PANarrative: balloon was making a landing in an open, newly planted corn field, cleared the tree line on an 8 mph approach to the east of wall street. Upon first contact with the ground the pilot was attempting to open the envelope air exit flap by pulling down…Jun 15, 2014 · No damage · 1 fatal