# NTSB CEN12LA591: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 180A, N3013T, Prairie du Sac, WI, August 4, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 3, 2012, 20:40 local (Aug 4, 2012, 01:40 UTC) - Place: Prairie du Sac, WI - Coordinates: 43.314445, -89.759162 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3144&lon=-89.7592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO Milwaukee - NTSB case key (mKey): 84859 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA591 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84859/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84859 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA591 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of control of the balloon during a landing in higher-than-expected wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 180A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5190010), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 180A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=5190010), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 180A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5190010), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis Before the flight, the pilot obtained a proper weather briefing, and the wind for the area of the flight was forecast to be about 7 knots and decreasing during the flight. The pilot stated that the wind was initially out of the east about 6 knots, but during the flight it had increased to about 15 knots. The pilot said that after 1 hour and 45 minutes of flight he encountered wind shear. He attempted to descend and maneuver the balloon to seek lower wind, but the terrain was "hilly," which presented problems for landing due to wind "rotors" that could deform the balloon's envelope. According to the pilot, as the balloon moved toward a nearby airport, where he hoped to land, a wind shear pushed the balloon's envelope in. The pilot briefed the passengers before landing; however, the balloon's gondola hit tree tops during the descent and began to tip. The pilot then shut off the burners and opened the balloon's envelope vents to rapidly deflate the balloon, which would minimize the gondola being dragged after landing. During the landing, one of the passengers sustained a serious leg injury. Although the wind at the accident site could not be determined, one of the passengers reported that his hand-held GPS device indicated a ground speed of 15 mph just before touchdown. Landing in higher wind conditions in a balloon typically results in the gondola tipping over and dragging as the envelope deflates and is pulled by the wind. ## Factual narrative On August 3, 2012, approximately 2040 central daylight time, an ARBC INC Lindstrand 180A balloon, N3013T, registered to Gentle Breezes Balloon Rides LLC, De Forest, Wisconsin, was dragged onto its side by the wind after landing. There were 7 occupants on board; the commercial balloon pilot and 5 of his 6 passengers were not injured, and 1 passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the local balloon ride flight. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated about 2020 from the Sauk-Prairie Airport (91C), Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.The pilot stated that he initially departed from the airport in light wind from the east, about 6 knots. About 1 hour and 45 minutes later, as the balloon moved toward the west, the wind picked up to about 15 knots. He attempted to descend and maneuver the balloon to seek more favorable wind for landing, but encountered wind shear. He described the terrain as "hilly," presenting problems for landing due to wind rotors below the tops of the hills. About 200 feet AGL the wind turned the balloon to a northwest direction and the speed about 15 mph. He descended more in hopes of finding lower wind, but had to be careful of the rotors, of which he was concerned that they could deform the envelope. The balloon was piloted over an industrial area, unsuitable for landing, but were moving toward the Sauk airport. Close to the airport, a wind shear pushed the envelope in about 30 feet. At this point, the pilot briefed the passengers prior to landing. The gondola started to hit some tree tops and tipped. Still descending, the pilot shut off the burners, and opened the envelope vents to minimize the gondola being dragged after landing. Upon touchdown, the gondola was dragged onto its side and one of the passengers sustained a serious leg injury during the hard landing. One of the passengers had a hand-held GPS during the flight and reported that the device indicated a ground speed of 15 MPH just prior to touchdown. The reported wind from a weather station (DLL) located about 13 miles to the north of the accident site was from 160 degrees at 10 knots. The exact wind at the accident site could not be determined. According to FAA records, the pilot did get a proper weather briefing prior to the flight. The wind for the area of the flight was forecast to be about 7 knots and decreasing but the wind encountered toward the end of the flight was about 15 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3013T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3013T), registered now, S/N 5453 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ARBC INC DBA LINDSTRAND 180A - Registry model: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 180A](https://openairdocs.org/model/arbc-inc-dba-lindstrand-180a) (registry code 5190010) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 5453 - Airframe hours: 115 - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Gentle Breezes Balloon Rides LLC - Registered owner: Teed Jerome E - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 91C, Sauk Prairie, WI - Destination: 91C, Sauk Prairie, WI - Airport: 91C, Sauk Prairie ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 899 total, 140 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: DLL, 13 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 20120803017239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120803017239A), Aug 3, 2012: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 180A, Sauk Prairie, WI, Minor damage. Pilot stated he launced with wind from the east at 6 knots. He stated that as he moved west the wind picked up to 15 knots. He stated that as he flew over… ## Other investigations on N3013T (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA20CA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA138), Dec 16, 2019: Lindstrand 180A (N3013T), Davenport, FL, no damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper descent rate during the approach to landing, which resulted in a hard landing and serious injury to a passenger. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84859. 130 KB in all. - Statement of Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396829&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Passenger 1 (item 2, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396830&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Passenger%201-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Passenger 2 (item 3, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396831&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Passenger%202-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Passenger 3 (item 4, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396832&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Passenger%203-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Passenger 4 (item 5, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396833&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Passenger%204-Redacted.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.