What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The flight launched from a field near the residence of the pilot, at around 1800 hours with two passengers on board. The distance of the flight was approximately 11 miles, duration 50 minutes.
The landing site was flat, with power lines running across the eastern, western, and southern edges of the field. The distance between the eastern and western edge is approximately 1200 feet. The distance between the northern and southern edge is approximately 1100 feet.
The landing was initiated from the east to west direction. The balloon crossed the eastern edge of the field over the powerlines. The pilot stated that she became concerned with the powerlines on the western edge of the field. She executed the maneuver for touchdown and advised the passengers to prepare for landing. Once the balloon basket touched down it bounced than dragged across the field. The balloon came to a full stop approximately three quarters of the distance of the field and tipped over on its side. One of the passengers fell, hitting her knee in the process. Later that day, that passenger was diagnosed with hairline fracture to the right tibia.
No other injuries reported, and no visible damage observed on the balloon basket.
The pilot stated that she does not normally land in an area within close proximity of power lines.
As the FAA filed it
THE FLIGHT LAUNCHED FROM A FIELD NEAR THE RESIDENCE OF THE PILOT, AT AROUND 1800 HOURS WITH TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE DISTANCE OF THE FLIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 11 MILES, DURATION 50 MINUTES.
THE LANDING SITE WAS FLAT, WITH POWER LINES RUNNING ACROSS THE EASTERN, WESTERN, AND SOUTHERN EDGES OF THE FIELD. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EASTERN AND WESTERN EDGE IS APPROXIMATELY 1200 FEET. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN EDGE IS APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET.
THE LANDING WAS INITIATED FROM THE EAST TO WEST DIRECTION. THE BALLOON CROSSED THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE FIELD OVER THE POWERLINES. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE BECAME CONCERNED WITH THE POWERLINES ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE FIELD. SHE EXECUTED THE MANEUVER FOR TOUCHDOWN AND ADVISED THE PASSENGERS TO PREPARE FOR LANDING. ONCE THE BALLOON BASKET TOUCHED DOWN IT BOUNCED THAN DRAGGED ACROSS THE FIELD. THE BALLOON CAME TO A FULL STOP APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF THE DISTANCE OF THE FIELD AND TIPPED OVER ON ITS SIDE. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS FELL, HITTING HER KNEE IN THE PROCESS. LATER THAT DAY, THAT PASSENGER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HAIRLINE FRACTURE TO THE RIGHT TIBIA.
NO OTHER INJURIES REPORTED, AND NO VISIBLE DAMAGE OBSERVED ON THE BALLOON BASKET.
THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE DOES NOT NORMALLY LAND IN AN AREA WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF POWER LINES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2067Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.