# NTSB CEN10CA257: Aerostar International S57A, N9002Z, Hilliard, OH, May 15, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 15, 2010, 19:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place: Hilliard, OH
- Coordinates: 39.986946, -83.206947 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9869&lon=-83.2069&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 22, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Columbus FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 76043
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA257
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76043/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76043
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA257

## Probable cause

The passenger’s inadequate brace for the balloon landing, resulting in injury.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Physical characteristic: size](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011010): Personnel issues › Physical · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RAVEN S57-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011010/cases.md?model=7485057), [All aircraft, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011010/cases.md)
- [Physical characteristic: strength](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011020): Personnel issues › Physical · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RAVEN S57-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011020/cases.md?model=7485057), [All aircraft, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerostar International RAVEN S57-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=7485057), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Analysis

After a 50-minute, late afternoon balloon flight, the pilot executed a normal touchdown onto a flat grassy area. A weather station 8 miles to the northeast reported the surface wind was five miles per hour at the time of the accident. All of the occupants were facing forward for the touchdown and the pilot had previously instructed both passengers how to hold on to two points and how to flex their knees for the first impact of landing. At the first impact with the ground, the 82 year old female passenger sank to the floor of the balloon basket. It was immediately apparent to the other passenger that she had been injured. After the basket stopped moving, the pilot deflated the balloon and the pilot, the other passenger, and a bystander assisted the injured passenger in exiting. The injured passenger was transported to the hospital and treated for a broken leg. The other occupants were not injured and the balloon was not damaged. The uninjured passenger said the pre-takeoff safety briefing and the before landing safety briefing were simple and clearly understood.

## Factual narrative

After a 50-minute, late afternoon balloon flight, the pilot executed a normal touch down onto a flat grassy area. A weather station 8 miles to the northeast reported the surface wind was five miles per hour at the time of the accident. All of the occupants were facing forward for the touchdown and the pilot had previously instructed both passengers how to hold on to two points and how to flex their knees for the first impact of landing. At the first impact with the ground, the 82 year old female passenger sank to the floor of the balloon basket. It was immediately apparent to the other passenger that she had been injured. After the basket stopped moving, the pilot deflated the balloon and the pilot, the other passenger, and a bystander assisted the injured passenger in exiting. The injured passenger was transported to the hospital and treated for a broken leg. The other occupants were not injured and the balloon was not damaged. The uninjured passenger said the pre-takeoff safety briefing and the before landing safety briefing were simple and clearly understood.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9002Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9002Z-2011-08-17), registration cancelled 2011-08-17, S/N S57A-3133, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL S57A (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Aerostar International RAVEN S57-A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-raven-s57-a) (registry code 7485057) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: S57A-3133
- Airframe hours: 812
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: T F Hampton Ventures Inc., doing business as Real Adventure Hot Air Balloon Co.
- Registered owner: T F Hampton Ventures Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 19, 2009
- Departed: Dublin, OH
- Destination: Hilliard, OH
- Airport: NONE, Balloon Landing Area

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review November 14, 2009; flight hours: 771 total, 750 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observed at: OSU, 8 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20100515034259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100515034259A), May 15, 2010: Aerostar In RAVEN S57-A, Hilliard, OH, No damage. On may 15, 2010, timmy f. hampton, certificate number 2808053, was the pilot of the balloon, N9002Z. He stated that he met with the passengers at 1815 local…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76043. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330278&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Passenger Interview (item 2, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330279&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20Interview-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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