What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While operating commercialy at a public community event in Chatsworth IL the pilot lost control of his aircraft due to unexpected gust of wind. The pilot struggled to maintain control of his aircraft and fell out of the balloons basket as result of first abrupt contact with the ground. Two passengers still remained in the basket and ascended briefly while traveling approx 1/4 mile and descended into a bean field. One passenger was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital with a fractured tailbone while other passenger was ok.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE OPERATING COMMERCIALY AT A PUBLIC COMMUNITY EVENT IN CHATSWORTH IL THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT DUE TO UNEXPECTED GUST OF WIND. THE PILOT STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND FELL OUT OF THE BALLOONS BASKET AS RESULT OF FIRST ABRUPT CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. TWO PASSENGERS STILL REMAINED IN THE BASKET AND ASCENDED BRIEFLY WHILE TRAVELING APPROX 1/4 MILE AND DESCENDED INTO A BEAN FIELD. ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO AN AREA HOSPITAL WITH A FRACTURED TAILBONE WHILE OTHER PASSENGER WAS OK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.