What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot of hot air balloon N370LB was landing in a field, the winds at altitude were significantly higher than on the ground and higher than forecast. As the balloon descended the wind died off causing a sheer effect. The balloon hit the ground hard and flipped over ejecting the pilot from the basket. The balloon became airborne with a passenger who is not a pilot. The passenger pulled the red emergency cord and deflated the balloon. The balloon once again landed hard, the passenger experienced some back pain and was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with anterior compression fractures of the 11th and 12th thoracic vertebrea.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT OF HOT AIR BALLOON N370LB WAS LANDING IN A FIELD, THE WINDS AT ALTITUDE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN ON THE GROUND AND HIGHER THAN FORECAST. AS THE BALLOON DESCENDED THE WIND DIED OFF CAUSING A SHEER EFFECT. THE BALLOON HIT THE GROUND HARD AND FLIPPED OVER EJECTING THE PILOT FROM THE BASKET. THE BALLOON BECAME AIRBORNE WITH A PASSENGER WHO IS NOT A PILOT. THE PASSENGER PULLED THE RED EMERGENCY CORD AND DEFLATED THE BALLOON. THE BALLOON ONCE AGAIN LANDED HARD, THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCED SOME BACK PAIN AND WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL AND DIAGNOSED WITH ANTERIOR COMPRESSION FRACTURES OF THE 11TH AND 12TH THORACIC VERTEBREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.