- Date
- September 27, 2024, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Custer, SD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N605KDArbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 195214
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The balloon landing in increased wind, which resulted in a hard landing and the serious injury of a passenger.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while aligning the balloon for the landing, he became aware of increasing wind speed. He briefed the passengers for a slightly faster landing and continued the approach. The pilot stated that he made the approach to the field at 6 knots and the ground crew were able to assist in slowing down the balloon during the landing. The basket briefly touched down and bounced twice before coming to rest. During the landing a passenger sustained a serious injury. The pilot stated that the injury was a result of another passenger crushing her against the wicker partition. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N605KD
- Reported as
- Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 5770
- Built
- 2022
- Airframe hours
- 167
- 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, 2024
- Departed
- NA · Custer, SD
- Destination
- NA · Custer, SD
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 14, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 2,301 total · 157 in this make and model · 2,256 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- KCUT, 1 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KCUT 091353Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/07 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP120 T01610072=
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
Other investigations on N605KD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.