- Date
- July 22, 2011, 07:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Clark, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor, 6 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2012JCameron Balloons US AX10
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110722015679A
- Case key
- 81254
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 pilot's encounter with high wind which resulted in a hard landing and passenger injury.
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
Following a sightseeing flight, the pilot landed a hot air balloon in approximately 15 knots of wind. During the initial touchdown, the balloon bounced and skipped several times before landing firmly, tipping the basket on its side. Of the eight passengers on board, one sustained a broken ankle and two passengers sustained minor injuries. There was no damage to the balloon. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
Following a sightseeing flight, the pilot landed a hot air balloon in approximately 15 knots of wind utilizing high wind landing procedures. After the initial touchdown, the balloon bounced and skipped several times before landing firmly. During the landing, the basket tipped on its side. Of the eight passengers on board, one sustained a broken ankle and two passenger sustained minor injuries. There was no damage to the balloon. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2012J
- Reported as
- Cameron Balloons US AX10 (210)
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 6516
- Airframe hours
- 220.5
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Wild West Balloon Adventures Inc
- Registered owner
- Wild West Balloon Adventures Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 13, 2010
- Departed
- Clark, CO
- Destination
- Clark, CO
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2011
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,610 total · 2,200 in this make and model · 2,575 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 640 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.