# NTSB CEN23LA305: Adams Balloon AB, N895FA, Lafayette, CO, July 14, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 14, 2023, 07:18 local (13:18 UTC) - Place: Lafayette, CO - Coordinates: 39.975563, -105.07882 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9756&lon=-105.0788&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: 2 serious, 3 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192627 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA305 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192627/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192627 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA305 ## Probable cause An inadvertent hard landing in high wind conditions resulting in serious injury of two passengers. Contributing to the accident was the increase in prevailing winds prior to the forecast. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Adams Balloons A-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=0050325), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Adams Balloons A-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=0050325), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Adams Balloons A-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=0050325), [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: [Adams Balloons A-B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=0050325), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis While conducting a sightseeing flight for a balloon festival, the pilot noted wind about 17 miles per hour (mph). He was unable to locate calmer winds at different altitudes. The pilot decided to terminate the flight and briefed the passengers for a high wind landing. During the high wind landing, the basket touched down hard and began to drag. One passenger was ejected from the basket which resulted in the balloon becoming airborne. The pilot was releasing air through the top vent and the balloon settled again to the ground and dragged to a stop. The passenger who was ejected and another passenger that remained in the basket were seriously injured. The pilot and two passengers had minor injuries. There were no mechanical malfunctions with the balloon. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather brief, and the weather forecast reported a front to pass around 0800. After considering the weather, the pilot decided to launch on a low, short flight between 30 to 45 minutes. The pilot reported that he launched at 0643 and a couple minutes later, he noticed the winds aloft were stronger than expected and attempted to find a suitable landing area. On the pilot’s weather forecast, obtained several hours prior to the flight, the velocity and direction (VAD) winds showed wind at 5,900 ft mean sea level (msl) at 19 kts, which increased to 26 kts at 6,200 ft msl. At 0655, the closest aviation weather reporting facility reported a calm wind. At 0715, the same facility reported wind at 5 knots gusting to 15 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N895FA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N895FA), registered now, S/N 279, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ADAMS BALLOON AB - Registry model: [Adams Balloons A-B](https://openairdocs.org/model/adams-balloons-a-b) (registry code 0050325) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 279 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 217.5 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 27, 2022 - Departed: Erie, CO - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: minor; commercial; last flight review February 9, 2022; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 599 total, 599 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 5 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: KEIK, 2 nm away - METAR: KEIK 141315Z AUTO 02005G15KT 10SM CLR 18/09 A3009 RMK AO2 T01820093 ## 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 20230714010319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230714010319A), Jul 14, 2023: Adams Balloons LLC A-B, Lafayette, CO, No damage. Pilot received a group weather briefing that was obtained from the NWS for the balloon launch. Winds were predicted to pick up and change direction within two… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192627. 4.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16001923&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot submitted timeline (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 435 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16002174&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Timeline%20final%20draft_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Weather forecast (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16002070&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Report-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16001951&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%202-Rel.pdf - Weather information (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 232 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16001587&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Information-Rel.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.