What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: 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 on the flap attachment cord. Pilot was leaning forward, over the edge of the gondola, lost his balance and fell out of the gondola, head first. The gondola came to rest in the upright position approximately 96 feet from its initial landing touch down location. Passengers exited the gondola and render first aid/cpr to the pilot and called 911. Pilot was transported to phoenixville hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Postmortem examination revealed a bruise on the back of the head, and
Fractured cervical vertebrae (a broken neck).
privacy data omitted Was not wearing a tethered restraining belt/harness.
No pilot to basket restraining belt/harness was installed in this gondola.
privacy data omitted Had TYPE1 diabetes.
His last class 3 flight physical was 16 March 2009.
His class 3 flight physical certificate expired on 31 March 2010.
privacy data omitted Most recent visit with his primary care physician, doctor privacy data omitted, MD of presbyterian medical group on montgomery avenue in albuquerque, new Mexico was on 2/5/2014.
privacy data omitted Did not have in his possession his FAA pilot?s certificate or any form of photo identification.
privacy data omitted Stated to the passengers that he was unfamiliar with the local pottstown, PA flying area.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: 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 ON THE FLAP ATTACHMENT CORD. PILOT WAS LEANING FORWARD, OVER THE EDGE OF THE GONDOLA, LOST HIS BALANCE AND FELL OUT OF THE GONDOLA, HEAD FIRST. THE GONDOLA CAME TO REST IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION APPROXIMATELY 96 FEET FROM ITS INITIAL LANDING TOUCH DOWN LOCATION. PASSENGERS EXITED THE GONDOLA AND RENDER FIRST AID/CPR TO THE PILOT AND CALLED 911. PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO PHOENIXVILLE HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED.
POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION REVEALED A BRUISE ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD, AND
FRACTURED CERVICAL VERTEBRAE (A BROKEN NECK).
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS NOT WEARING A TETHERED RESTRAINING BELT/HARNESS.
NO PILOT TO BASKET RESTRAINING BELT/HARNESS WAS INSTALLED IN THIS GONDOLA.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD TYPE1 DIABETES.
HIS LAST CLASS 3 FLIGHT PHYSICAL WAS 16 MARCH 2009.
HIS CLASS 3 FLIGHT PHYSICAL CERTIFICATE EXPIRED ON 31 MARCH 2010.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MOST RECENT VISIT WITH HIS PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, DOCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, MD OF PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL GROUP ON MONTGOMERY AVENUE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO WAS ON 2/5/2014.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DID NOT HAVE IN HIS POSSESSION HIS FAA PILOT?S CERTIFICATE OR ANY FORM OF PHOTO IDENTIFICATION.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED TO THE PASSENGERS THAT HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE LOCAL POTTSTOWN, PA FLYING AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N65625 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.