# NTSB CEN23LA302: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, N605KD, Custer, SD, July 12, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 12, 2023, 06:48 local (12:48 UTC) - Place: Custer, SD - Coordinates: 43.7667, -103.5988 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7667&lon=-103.5988&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, 10 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Rapid City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192621 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA302 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192621/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA302 ## Probable cause The pilot’s weather encounter that resulted in a high speed landing, the balloon tipping over, and serious injury to a passenger. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/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: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the sightseeing flight stated that after departure, the balloon’s speed increased, and its direction of travel became different from preflight wind observations. During the flight, the pilot established radio contact with the pilot of another company balloon, and they decided to land at a park. The other company balloon, which was ahead of the accident balloon, landed in the park without incident. When the accident pilot attempted a similar landing, the balloon encountered wind shear, and he continued the flight and flew about 1.5 miles. The pilot found a long field sheltered by trees and terrain, in which to attempt a landing. The pilot briefed the passengers to hold on tight and to crouch down in the balloon’s basket for the landing. At 100 ft above ground level (agl), the balloon encountered wind shear and slowed to about 5 kts. At 50 ft agl, the approach was “normal,” but the balloon’s speed increased “very rapidly.” The pilot stated that he was committed to the landing due to the amount of heat he had vented from the balloon, which would not allow for a climb. The balloon touched down “fairly smoothly,” but its speed increased. The pilot pulled the rapid deflation line, but the balloon lifted off, so he reseated the deflation system to reduce a descent rate that ensued from about 20 ft agl. The pilot then pulled the rapid deflation line again when the balloon was about to touch down. During touchdown, the balloon tipped over onto its side and came to a stop after traveling about 120 ft. The balloon did not sustain damage. A passenger received serious injuries. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the balloon. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N605KD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N605KD), registered now, S/N 5770, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ARBC INC DBA LINDSTRAND 260A - Registry model: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A](https://openairdocs.org/model/arbc-inc-dba-lindstrand-260a) (registry code 5190013) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 5770 - Year built: 2022 - Airframe hours: 90.3 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Operator: Flying Circus Inc, doing business as Black Hills Balloons - Registered owner: Flying Circus Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2023 - Departed: Custer, SD - Destination: Same as departure ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 29, 2022; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 2,196 total, 117 in this make and model, 2,140 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: CUT, 9 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 20230712006639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230712006639A), Jul 12, 2023: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, Custer, SD, No damage. On July 12, 2023, at 6:45 am a hot air balloon [privacy data omitted] was involved in an accident during landing while on a sight-seeing flight. Visual flight… ## Other investigations on N605KD (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 CEN24LA369](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA369), Sep 27, 2024: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A (N605KD), Custer, SD, no damage. Probable cause: The balloon landing in increased wind, which resulted in a hard landing and the serious injury of a passenger. 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.