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20160806010759A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 · Northwoods, NH · August 6, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 6, 2016 · 17:45 local
Place
Northwoods, NH
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N317W
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA16LA284
Reported as
Balloon Works Firefly 8
Reported engine
NONE NONE
People aboard
6
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,850 total900 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days
N317WRegistered now · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8S/N F8-403Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 8Engine 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.

Pilot departed field in pittsfield NH with 5 passengers. During the landing the Balloon hit the ground hard and bounced back airborne approximately 5 ft. the Balloon then landed the second time subsequently tipping the basket on its side, and then dragged across the field approximately

25 ? 30 Yds. Eventually coming to rest at the tree line.

During the landing the passengers fell to the floor of the basket and onto each other with one passenger being severely injured.

Per an eye witness statement, the Balloon was in a fast decent and then at approximately 25 feet off the ground he observed the pilot pulling on a line hanging from the Balloon. At that time the top of the Balloon appeared to open and the Balloon immediately dropped to the ground. He observed the Balloon bounce once and then be dragged by the wind the end of the field.

The forecast was for high winds and building thunderstorms.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED FIELD IN PITTSFIELD NH WITH 5 PASSENGERS. DURING THE LANDING THE BALLOON HIT THE GROUND HARD AND BOUNCED BACK AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 5 FT. THE BALLOON THEN LANDED THE SECOND TIME SUBSEQUENTLY TIPPING THE BASKET ON ITS SIDE, AND THEN DRAGGED ACROSS THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY

25 ? 30 YDS. EVENTUALLY COMING TO REST AT THE TREE LINE.

DURING THE LANDING THE PASSENGERS FELL TO THE FLOOR OF THE BASKET AND ONTO EACH OTHER WITH ONE PASSENGER BEING SEVERELY INJURED.

PER AN EYE WITNESS STATEMENT, THE BALLOON WAS IN A FAST DECENT AND THEN AT APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET OFF THE GROUND HE OBSERVED THE PILOT PULLING ON A LINE HANGING FROM THE BALLOON. AT THAT TIME THE TOP OF THE BALLOON APPEARED TO OPEN AND THE BALLOON IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. HE OBSERVED THE BALLOON BOUNCE ONCE AND THEN BE DRAGGED BY THE WIND THE END OF THE FIELD.

THE FORECAST WAS FOR HIGH WINDS AND BUILDING THUNDERSTORMS.

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 ERA16LA284Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNorthwood, NHThe balloon pilot’s inadequate weather planning and improper decision to depart in reported increasing variable winds with nearby thunderstorms, which resulted in a subsequent hard landing and a serious passenger injury.Aug 6, 2016 · No damage