- Date
- June 16, 2011, 20:50 local (Jun 17, 2011, 01:50 UTC)
- Place
- Le Center, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5595LLindstrand LBL120A
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 19, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-MSP-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110616011599A
- Case key
- 80805
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the passenger to follow the pilot's instructions during landing, which caused the pilot to be ejected from the balloon and sustain serious injuries.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the accident occurred as he attempted to land the hot air balloon in a 7-8 knot wind. The pilot stated that he briefed the passengers regarding the landing procedures prior to the landing. The first three landing approaches were aborted due to obstacles. During the fourth approach the pilot shut off the pilot lights for the balloon's burner and instructed the passengers to brace prior to touchdown. The basket touched down and rotated forward, which the pilot expected. He stated he was deflating the envelope when one of the passengers began to stand up and was nearly ejected from the basket as it touched down a second time. The pilot stated he grabbed the passenger's belt to prevent her from falling out of the basket which resulted in him being in an unstable position. With the next bump, the pilot was ejected from the basket. The pilot held onto the deflation line and was drug by the basket, sustaining serious injuries. The ground crew instructed the passengers to pull the "red line" deflation valve allowing the balloon to come to a stop.
Factual narrative
The accident occurred as the pilot attempted to land the balloon in a 7-8 knot wind. The pilot stated that he briefed the passengers regarding the landing procedures prior to the landing. The first three landing approaches were aborted due to obstacles. During the fourth approach the pilot shut off the pilot lights for the burner and instructed the passengers to brace prior to touchdown. The basket touched down and pendulumed forward, which the pilot expected. He stated he was deflating the envelope when one of the passengers began to stand up and was nearly ejected from the basket as it touched down a second time. The pilot stated he grabbed the passenger's belt to prevent her from falling out of the basket which resulted in him being in an unstable position. With the next bump, the pilot stated, he was ejected from the basket. The pilot held onto the deflation line and was drug by the basket, sustaining serious injuries. The ground crew instructed the passengers to pull the "red line" deflation valve allowing the balloon to come to a stop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5595L
- Reported as
- Lindstrand LBL120A (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 5482
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Edward J. Chapman
- Registered owner
- Edward J. Chapman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Prior Lake, MN
- Destination
- New Prague, MN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 18, 2010
- Flight hours
- 24,600 total · 5 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1000 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.