What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The involved balloon was reported to be one of the 2 free balloons that departed post mills airport in thetford, Vermont during the experimental balloon and airship association meet on the day of the crash. 20 of the 22 balloons at the meet cancelled the excursion due to reported strong winds and low-level wind shear aloft.
This balloon employed a ?chariot-style? 2-passenger bench seat known as a "chair". The flight itself was reported to be uneventful albeit with strong winds and the pilot, airman privacy data omitted, stated that he was planning to land in a valley to escape the relatively strong winds at his altitude.
Airman privacy data omitted stated that he decided to land in a field in a valley near Ryegate, Vermont. privacy data omitted Stated that he felt his speed was too high while approaching the field. privacy data omitted Attempted to ?brush? The tops of some trees to slow down. While so doing, privacy data omitted stated that there was a sudden change in wind vector. The chair struck a higher tree tipping Sproul out of the chair and leaving a first-flight passenger alone. privacy data omitted Stated that both he and the passenger were strapped in by 4 point safety harnesses. privacy data omitted Stated he did not know why he was not restrained by the harness.
privacy data omitted Was able to hang on to the chair and shout instructions to the passenger. However, the balloon continued to lose height and crashed through a tree eventually coming to the ground where both privacy data omitted and the passenger were able to evacuate. Neither reported any injuries to EMT personnel and Vermont state police who arrived quickly.
Witnesses corroborated privacy data omitted account of the event.
As the FAA filed it
THE INVOLVED BALLOON WAS REPORTED TO BE ONE OF THE 2 FREE BALLOONS THAT DEPARTED POST MILLS AIRPORT IN THETFORD, VERMONT DURING THE EXPERIMENTAL BALLOON AND AIRSHIP ASSOCIATION MEET ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH. 20 OF THE 22 BALLOONS AT THE MEET CANCELLED THE EXCURSION DUE TO REPORTED STRONG WINDS AND LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR ALOFT.
THIS BALLOON EMPLOYED A ?CHARIOT-STYLE? 2-PASSENGER BENCH SEAT KNOWN AS A "CHAIR". THE FLIGHT ITSELF WAS REPORTED TO BE UNEVENTFUL ALBEIT WITH STRONG WINDS AND THE PILOT, AIRMAN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, STATED THAT HE WAS PLANNING TO LAND IN A VALLEY TO ESCAPE THE RELATIVELY STRONG WINDS AT HIS ALTITUDE.
AIRMAN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD IN A VALLEY NEAR RYEGATE, VERMONT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE FELT HIS SPEED WAS TOO HIGH WHILE APPROACHING THE FIELD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO ?BRUSH? THE TOPS OF SOME TREES TO SLOW DOWN. WHILE SO DOING, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN CHANGE IN WIND VECTOR. THE CHAIR STRUCK A HIGHER TREE TIPPING SPROUL OUT OF THE CHAIR AND LEAVING A FIRST-FLIGHT PASSENGER ALONE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT BOTH HE AND THE PASSENGER WERE STRAPPED IN BY 4 POINT SAFETY HARNESSES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE DID NOT KNOW WHY HE WAS NOT RESTRAINED BY THE HARNESS.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ABLE TO HANG ON TO THE CHAIR AND SHOUT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PASSENGER. HOWEVER, THE BALLOON CONTINUED TO LOSE HEIGHT AND CRASHED THROUGH A TREE EVENTUALLY COMING TO THE GROUND WHERE BOTH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND THE PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE. NEITHER REPORTED ANY INJURIES TO EMT PERSONNEL AND VERMONT STATE POLICE WHO ARRIVED QUICKLY.
WITNESSES CORROBORATED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACCOUNT OF THE EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.