What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 10, 2015, at approximately 1410 eastern standard time, a lindstrand balloon, N316TB, landed in a farm field near somerset, IN, latitude N40 38.638 longitude W085 54.205. This office was notified of the accident at 1600 eastern standard time on January 14, 2015.
The balloon laid over on landing in a 13 knot wind and the pilot held on to the cord that opens the parachute top to deflate the balloon and was ejected. The pilot in command, the only occupant, received serious injuries. The flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The flight originated at the ashton observatory in jasper county, IA at 0740 central standard time. The flight was a time and distance flight used as a fundraiser for the American cancer society.
There were no witnesses. The support (chase ) crew did not arrive at the landing site prior to the landing.
The pilot was conscious and mobile when a local resident arrived and transported him to a local medical facility. He was then transferred to a hospital in fort wayne, IN.
The balloon was transported back to it?s home base in IA. It was unknown to the crew that this would be considered an accident.
The inspection of the balloon for damage was performed by inspectors from the des moines FSDO. No damage was found. Inspectors from the des moines FSDO also interviewed the pilot and the crew chief.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 10, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 1410 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A LINDSTRAND BALLOON, N316TB, LANDED IN A FARM FIELD NEAR SOMERSET, IN, LATITUDE N40 38.638 LONGITUDE W085 54.205. THIS OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT AT 1600 EASTERN STANDARD TIME ON JANUARY 14, 2015.
THE BALLOON LAID OVER ON LANDING IN A 13 KNOT WIND AND THE PILOT HELD ON TO THE CORD THAT OPENS THE PARACHUTE TOP TO DEFLATE THE BALLOON AND WAS EJECTED. THE PILOT IN COMMAND, THE ONLY OCCUPANT, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE ASHTON OBSERVATORY IN JASPER COUNTY, IA AT 0740 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME. THE FLIGHT WAS A TIME AND DISTANCE FLIGHT USED AS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
THERE WERE NO WITNESSES. THE SUPPORT (CHASE ) CREW DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE LANDING SITE PRIOR TO THE LANDING.
THE PILOT WAS CONSCIOUS AND MOBILE WHEN A LOCAL RESIDENT ARRIVED AND TRANSPORTED HIM TO A LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITY. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO A HOSPITAL IN FORT WAYNE, IN.
THE BALLOON WAS TRANSPORTED BACK TO IT?S HOME BASE IN IA. IT WAS UNKNOWN TO THE CREW THAT THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN ACCIDENT.
THE INSPECTION OF THE BALLOON FOR DAMAGE WAS PERFORMED BY INSPECTORS FROM THE DES MOINES FSDO. NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND. INSPECTORS FROM THE DES MOINES FSDO ALSO INTERVIEWED THE PILOT AND THE CREW CHIEF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.