What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Balloon launch was approximately 07:45PDT from 6800 Pope Valley rd, Pope Valley, CA. Launch coordinates are 38.64211 n - 122.45510 w (approximately 750FT MSL). I had 20 passengers on board. Sky was clear and lower-level winds within the Pope Valley were light and variable. I eventually gained altitude to find a more consistent speed and direction. I reached a height of 3356FT and crossed over into the angwin area. Passengers were given an in-flight briefing on landing position which directed passengers to face away from direction of travel with both hands holding on to rope handles inside the basket and knees bent to absorb landing impact. I also explained that they needed to remain in the basket upon landing and that I will make the decision on when to exit the basket. My intention was to land at the open fields surrounding the pacific union college (coordinates approximately 38.56599 n - 122.44258 w and approximately 1800FT MSL).
At around 08:10 I briefly descended to around 2300 ft MSL (approximately 500FT AGL) to test wind direction, I found a southeast wind (heading of about 134). After that I ascended back to 3300 ft MSL (approximately 1500FT AGL) for more southwest wind to help line up on the intended fields. On descent I was expecting to return to the southeast heading to line up with the intended fields, however the wind direction had lost the southeast direction. I continued my descent in hopes landing in another field just to my south. The direction of travel switched to a more southwest direction and picked up speed lining the balloon up with a set of tall trees (the tallest I guessed to be around 150FT.). Unfortunately, the direction and increase in horizontal speed didn't allow time for vertical lift to clear trees. At 08:15PDT the balloon struck the trees causing fabric damage and the balloon immediately descended to the base of the trees. During that time, pilot lights and tanks were shut off and rapid deflation system used.
Once basket was safely on the ground (note: basket landed in normal upright landing position with complete ground contact.), passengers were asked to remain in basket until surroundings and exit were deemed safe.
Passengers safely exited the basket and were moved to open grassy area in front of a residence that was close to the area of the trees and balloon. The coordinates for the landing are 38.58026 n - 122.45578 w. there was no damage to the basket or burner system, only damage was done to the balloon fabric. There was no property damage at landing location and only a few passengers received minor injuries consisting of bumps and scrapes.
As the FAA filed it
BALLOON LAUNCH WAS APPROXIMATELY 07:45PDT FROM 6800 POPE VALLEY RD, POPE VALLEY, CA. LAUNCH COORDINATES ARE 38.64211 N - 122.45510 W (APPROXIMATELY 750FT MSL). I HAD 20 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. SKY WAS CLEAR AND LOWER-LEVEL WINDS WITHIN THE POPE VALLEY WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE. I EVENTUALLY GAINED ALTITUDE TO FIND A MORE CONSISTENT SPEED AND DIRECTION. I REACHED A HEIGHT OF 3356FT AND CROSSED OVER INTO THE ANGWIN AREA. PASSENGERS WERE GIVEN AN IN-FLIGHT BRIEFING ON LANDING POSITION WHICH DIRECTED PASSENGERS TO FACE AWAY FROM DIRECTION OF TRAVEL WITH BOTH HANDS HOLDING ON TO ROPE HANDLES INSIDE THE BASKET AND KNEES BENT TO ABSORB LANDING IMPACT. I ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REMAIN IN THE BASKET UPON LANDING AND THAT I WILL MAKE THE DECISION ON WHEN TO EXIT THE BASKET. MY INTENTION WAS TO LAND AT THE OPEN FIELDS SURROUNDING THE PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE (COORDINATES APPROXIMATELY 38.56599 N - 122.44258 W AND APPROXIMATELY 1800FT MSL).
AT AROUND 08:10 I BRIEFLY DESCENDED TO AROUND 2300 FT MSL (APPROXIMATELY 500FT AGL) TO TEST WIND DIRECTION, I FOUND A SOUTHEAST WIND (HEADING OF ABOUT 134). AFTER THAT I ASCENDED BACK TO 3300 FT MSL (APPROXIMATELY 1500FT AGL) FOR MORE SOUTHWEST WIND TO HELP LINE UP ON THE INTENDED FIELDS. ON DESCENT I WAS EXPECTING TO RETURN TO THE SOUTHEAST HEADING TO LINE UP WITH THE INTENDED FIELDS, HOWEVER THE WIND DIRECTION HAD LOST THE SOUTHEAST DIRECTION. I CONTINUED MY DESCENT IN HOPES LANDING IN ANOTHER FIELD JUST TO MY SOUTH. THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL SWITCHED TO A MORE SOUTHWEST DIRECTION AND PICKED UP SPEED LINING THE BALLOON UP WITH A SET OF TALL TREES (THE TALLEST I GUESSED TO BE AROUND 150FT.). UNFORTUNATELY, THE DIRECTION AND INCREASE IN HORIZONTAL SPEED DIDN'T ALLOW TIME FOR VERTICAL LIFT TO CLEAR TREES. AT 08:15PDT THE BALLOON STRUCK THE TREES CAUSING FABRIC DAMAGE AND THE BALLOON IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED TO THE BASE OF THE TREES. DURING THAT TIME, PILOT LIGHTS AND TANKS WERE SHUT OFF AND RAPID DEFLATION SYSTEM USED.
ONCE BASKET WAS SAFELY ON THE GROUND (NOTE: BASKET LANDED IN NORMAL UPRIGHT LANDING POSITION WITH COMPLETE GROUND CONTACT.), PASSENGERS WERE ASKED TO REMAIN IN BASKET UNTIL SURROUNDINGS AND EXIT WERE DEEMED SAFE.
PASSENGERS SAFELY EXITED THE BASKET AND WERE MOVED TO OPEN GRASSY AREA IN FRONT OF A RESIDENCE THAT WAS CLOSE TO THE AREA OF THE TREES AND BALLOON. THE COORDINATES FOR THE LANDING ARE 38.58026 N - 122.45578 W. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE BASKET OR BURNER SYSTEM, ONLY DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE BALLOON FABRIC. THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE AT LANDING LOCATION AND ONLY A FEW PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES CONSISTING OF BUMPS AND SCRAPES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.