# NTSB CEN18LA364: Lindstrand 77A, N370LB, Brookfield, MO, September 2, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 2, 2018, 08:35 local (13:35 UTC) - Place: Brookfield, MO - Coordinates: 39.908054, -93.14389 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9081&lon=-93.1439&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, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 19, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 98213 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA364 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98213/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98213 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA364 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to maintain control of the balloon after encountering high wind conditions and windshear during the landing, which resulted in his ejection from the basket and serious injury to the passenger during the balloon’s subsequent impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md) - [Wind: windshear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 90 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md) - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=5180001), [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. - [Approach: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=5180001), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot indicated that, before departing on the balloon flight with a passenger to participate in a balloon derby, he obtained a weather briefing; reported and forecast winds in the area were less than 10 knots, and the reported and forecast winds "a couple of 100 feet above ground level" were 10-20 knots with no increase in surface winds. As he was completing the flight, the pilot began navigating to find a landing site and then noticed an increase in windshear. He approached a landing site but when he noted an obstruction and realized the area was private property, he aborted the landing. The wind increased again during the approach to a second field that had uneven terrain and obstructions. The pilot indicated that he rebriefed hard landing procedures to the passenger in preparation for landing. When the balloon touched down hard in high winds, the pilot was ejected from the basket. The immediate reduction of weight in the basket resulted in the balloon climbing with the passenger on board. The pilot yelled to the passenger to grab the rip line, which caused the balloon to enter a rapid descent from about tree-top level. The balloon impacted the ground hard, which resulted in serious injuries to the passenger. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the balloon. ## Factual narrative On September 2, 2018, at 0835 central daylight time, a Lindstrand Balloons 77A, N370LB, experienced a hard landing in a field during the Great Pershing Balloon Derby, Brookfield Missouri. The commercial pilot was ejected from the balloon basket and was uninjured. The passenger sustained serious injuries. The balloon was undamaged. The balloon was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight originated 0751.The pilot stated that he obtained a weather briefing from the Great Pershing Balloon Derby event staff before the flight. The reported and forecast winds in the area were less than 10 knots, and the reported and forecast winds "a couple of 100 feet above ground level" were 10-20 knots with no increase of surface winds. He and several other pilots at the launch site launched pibals to confirm the wind conditions. After departure, the pilot flew to target locations and began navigating to find a good landing site. The other balloons had landed when he started to notice an increase in wind shear. He attempted an approach to a landing at a site but aborted the landing due to a fence line and his concerns about landing on private property. He continued flying across a tree line and bean field at which point the passenger told him that the balloon's speed was 10 miles per hour (mph), based upon information from the passenger's cellular phone. The pilot said he again encountered wind shear and climbed the balloon to a "safe" altitude. He said that the next suitable field for landing was ahead. He descended the balloon through wind shear over a crop field, and the passenger said the cellular phone now indicated the balloon's speed as 17 mph. He said that he re-briefed hard landing procedures to the passenger in preparation for a landing on an approaching field, which had powerlines along a road on the upwind side of the field. He climbed the balloon to about 40 feet above ground level (agl) to clear the powerlines and then began a descent to the field, which had a "slight" downslope, following by a "small" ditch, and then an upslope. In preparation for a hard landing, he turned off the fuel and pilot lights. About 10 feet agl, he pulled the deflation port line (commonly called rip line and is colored red) and braced for impact. The balloon impacted the ground on the downslope of the field, and the pilot was ejected from the front of the basket. He held onto the rip line for a "few" moments, as the balloon climbed with the passenger aboard, and yelled to the passenger to grab the rip line. The passenger grabbed the rip line, and the balloon entered a "rapid" descent from about tree top level in the field where it experienced a hard landing. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the balloon. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N370LB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N370LB-2024-05-01), registration cancelled 2024-05-01, S/N 5005, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Lindstrand 77A (No Series) - Registry model: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A](https://openairdocs.org/model/lindstrand-balloons-77a) (registry code 5180001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 5005 - Year built: 1996 - Airframe hours: 227 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Air race/show, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2018 - Departed: Brookfield, MO - Destination: Brookfield, MO - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: serious; commercial; last flight review May 5, 2018; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 115 total, 113 in this make and model, 103 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: CDJ, 26 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 20180902012869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180902012869A), Sep 2, 2018: Lindstrand Balloons 77A, Brookfiled, MO, No damage. Pilot of hot air balloon N370LB was landing in a field, the winds at altitude were significantly higher than on the ground and higher than forecast. As the… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98213. 5.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474279&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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. --- 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.