What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During the landing approach on the dry lakebed, the pilot aborted the initial touchdown due to a strong crosswind. He informed the passengers that the flight would continue until wind conditions improved. Approximately five minutes later, the pilot initiated a second landing approach under calmer wind conditions. As part of the standard landing checklist, he shut off the propane tanks. The basket touched down normally, prompting the pilot to fully open the quick-deflation system. However, as the balloon deflated on the ground, a sudden wind surge pushed the envelope and tilted the basket onto its side. The basket dragged across the ground, fracturing the uprights and becoming partially inverted. During this touchdown sequence, a passenger struck her head against one of the relief valves. The impact broke the valve, releasing residual gas pressure from the lines and triggering a two-to-three-second burst of flames.
Will be amended at a later date if needed.
As the FAA filed it
DURING THE LANDING APPROACH ON THE DRY LAKEBED, THE PILOT ABORTED THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN DUE TO A STRONG CROSSWIND. HE INFORMED THE PASSENGERS THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL WIND CONDITIONS IMPROVED. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE PILOT INITIATED A SECOND LANDING APPROACH UNDER CALMER WIND CONDITIONS. AS PART OF THE STANDARD LANDING CHECKLIST, HE SHUT OFF THE PROPANE TANKS. THE BASKET TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY, PROMPTING THE PILOT TO FULLY OPEN THE QUICK-DEFLATION SYSTEM.HOWEVER, AS THE BALLOON DEFLATED ON THE GROUND, A SUDDEN WIND SURGE PUSHED THE ENVELOPE AND TILTED THE BASKET ONTO ITS SIDE. THE BASKET DRAGGED ACROSS THE GROUND, FRACTURING THE UPRIGHTS AND BECOMING PARTIALLY INVERTED. DURING THIS TOUCHDOWN SEQUENCE, A PASSENGER STRUCK HER HEAD AGAINST ONE OF THE RELIEF VALVES. THE IMPACT BROKE THE VALVE, RELEASING RESIDUAL GAS PRESSURE FROM THE LINES AND TRIGGERING A TWO-TO-THREE-SECOND BURST OF FLAMES.
WILL BE AMENDED AT A LATER DATE IF NEEDED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.