# Incident 20160213004709I: Aerostar International Inc RX 8, Petaluma, CA, February 13, 2016

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 13, 2016, 09:00 local time
- Place: Petaluma, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2908° N, 122.6242° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2908&lon=-122.6242&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3647A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3647A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International RX 8 (registry code 7487008, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rx-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 10
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,768 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA070) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160213004709I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

0700; PASSENGERS ASSEMBLED FOR A BALLOON SIGHTSEEING TOUR WITH ?BALLOON OVER SONOMA?. PREFLIGHT AND PASSENGER BRIEFING WAS COMPLETED AT 0730. CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS; BROKEN GROUND FOG UP TO 100?. PIC DELAYED DEPARTURE UNTIL THE CONDITIONS IMPROVED TO SCATTERED. AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 THE BALLOON DEPARTED AND ASCENDED TO 1000?, CRUISE ALTITUDE. ON DESCENT, AS EARLIER BRIEFED, THE PASSENGERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD ON TO THE PERIMETER STRAP AND GET BELOW THE BASKET EDGE TO PREPARE FOR THEIR DESCENT INTO UPHILL TERRAIN. THE WIND GUSTS INCREASED TO 10MPH AND PUSHED THE BALLOON INTO A METAL FENCE, JOSTLING THE PASSENGERS.  THE PIC ASCENDED TO CLEAR ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES AND LANDED ON AN ADJACENT ROAD. (^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PETALUMA, CA)

THE BALLOON LANDED UPRIGHT AND PASSENGERS DISEMBARKED NORMALLY. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE INJURY TO THE 6 YEAR OLD PASSENGER WAS NOTED. PERSONS FROM THE ADJACENT RESIDENCE TO THE LANDING SITE TRANSPORTED THE PARENTS AND CHILD TO PETALUMA VALLEY HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. FROM THERE, THE INJURED CHILD WAS TAKEN TO THE CHILDREN?S HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR16LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA070), Feb 13, 2016: Aerostar International RX8 (N3647A), Petaluma, CA, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during the landing approach, which resulted in the balloon’s basket impacting a metal fence and a passenger sustaining serious injuries.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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