# NTSB CEN23LA325: Ultramagic N-210, N1958S, Erie, CO, July 14, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 14, 2023, 06:50 local (12:50 UTC) - Place: Erie, CO - Coordinates: 40.01, -105.02 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0100&lon=-105.0200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 2 minor, 3 uninjured - 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): 192716 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA325 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192716/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192716 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA325 ## Probable cause A hard landing due to the high wind conditions which resulted in two passengers sustaining serious injuries. ## 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 · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Ultramagic N-210, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=9230016), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/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: [Ultramagic N-210, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=9230016), [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: [Ultramagic N-210, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=9230016), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Ultramagic N-210, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=9230016), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while conducting a sightseeing flight, the surface wind increased earlier than forecast. He decided to terminate the flight and make a high wind landing. He briefed his passengers that they were going to land quicky and drag to a stop. He reminded them to stay in the basket and hold on. The balloon skipped twice after contacting the ground and then dragged to a stop. One of the passengers was ejected and her hair was caught under the basket. She sustained minor injuries. Two other passengers remained in the basket but sustained serious injurious. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the remaining three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather brief, and the weather forecast reported a front to pass around 0800. A terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) for Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC) about 7 miles southwest of Erie, Colorado, forecast wind to be out of the northwest at 7 knots at 0300 and then shift to wind out of the northeast at 12 knots around 0800. When the pilot launched the balloon in Erie at 0638, the wind was calm. About half an hour after launch, reported surface wind in Erie was out of the northeast at 5 knots gusting 15 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1958S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1958S), registered now, S/N 210/149, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ULTRAMAGIC SA N-210 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Ultramagic N-210](https://openairdocs.org/model/ultramagic-n-210) (registry code 9230016) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 210/149 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 132 - Engines: None none - Damage: No damage - Flight: Air race/show, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 31, 2022 - Departed: NA, Erie, CO - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 6, 2023; flight hours: 2,680 total, 200 in this make and model ## 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, 1 nm away - METAR: KEIK 141315Z AUTO 02005G15KT 10SM CLR 18/09 A3009 ## 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 20230714009509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230714009509A), Jul 14, 2023: Ultramagic Sa N-210, Erie, CO, No damage. On July 14, 2023, at approximately 0650 local time, an Ultramagic Sa N-210 balloon made a hard landing at approximately 22 KTS ground speed, which caused the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192716. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16165852&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16166445&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR-Rel.pdf - Weather information (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 232 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16274767&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Information-Rel.pdf - Weather report (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16273833&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Report-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.