What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 27, 2022 N9106Q, an Aerostar RXS-8 hot air balloon, departed at 1815 local time from a launch site on the western edge of omaha, Nebraska with one pilot and three passengers on board. The personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91 traveled approximately 6.6 nautical miles west/northwest of the departure point. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and winds aloft were reported from east/northeast at 7 knots. Approximately 1911 local time the pilot initiated a steep descent and landing in a rural agricultural field to minimize drift after touchdown. The balloon touched down firmly, skipped and touched down again, then came to rest where it sustained minor damage and was deflated using normal after landing procedures. The pilot suffered serious injury, which was coincidental to the position of the pilots foot and not related to competency. The passengers were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 27, 2022 N9106Q, AN AEROSTAR RXS-8 HOT AIR BALLOON, DEPARTED AT 1815 LOCAL TIME FROM A LAUNCH SITE ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA WITH ONE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 6.6 NAUTICAL MILES WEST/NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND WINDS ALOFT WERE REPORTED FROM EAST/NORTHEAST AT 7 KNOTS. APPROXIMATELY 1911 LOCAL TIME THE PILOT INITIATED A STEEP DESCENT AND LANDING IN A RURAL AGRICULTURAL FIELD TO MINIMIZE DRIFT AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN FIRMLY, SKIPPED AND TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, THEN CAME TO REST WHERE IT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND WAS DEFLATED USING NORMAL AFTER LANDING PROCEDURES. THE PILOT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY, WHICH WAS COINCIDENTAL TO THE POSITION OF THE PILOTS FOOT AND NOT RELATED TO COMPETENCY. THE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.