- Date
- November 7, 1999, 16:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Imperial, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9130FAerostar Raven S57-A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991107047759A
- Case key
- 47718
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 passenger's failure to follow instructions on how to properly brace for the landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot briefed the passengers on the proper balloon landing procedures both prior to and during the flight. He reported that just prior to touchdown, he again stated 'Hold on and bend your knees.' He reported that during the normal, stand-up landing, the female passenger, age 83, either failed to or was unable to hold on. She lost her balance and began to sit on the floor of the basket. The male passenger, age 79, then let go of the basket in an attempt to assist her. The male passenger lost his footing, fell on top of the female, and the female passenger received a broken arm.
Factual narrative
On November 7, 1999, at 1635 central standard time, a passenger on board an Aerostar Raven S57-A balloon, N9130F, suffered a broken arm during a landing in Imperial, Missouri. The balloon was being operated by a commercial rated hot air balloon pilot. The pilot and a second passenger were not injured. The balloon was not damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from House Springs, Missouri, at 1530 cst.
The pilot reported the accident occurred during the landing following a hour long flight. He reported he briefed the passengers on the proper landing procedures both prior to and during the flight. He reported he told them how to hold on during the landing, why they needed to hold on, what to expect, how to bend their knees, and how to brace themselves.
He reported they began the landing approach at 800 feet above the ground (agl) at which time he once again briefed the passengers regarding the landing. He said he made the final step down at 50 feet agl to a "...gentle glide slope to landing." He reported that just prior to touchdown he again stated "Hold on and bend your knees." He reported that during the normal, stand-up landing, the female passenger, age 83, either failed to or was unable to hold on. She lost her balance and began to sit on the floor of the basket. The male passenger, age 79, then let go of the basket in an attempt to assist her. The male passenger lost his footing and fell on top of the female. It was sometime during this occurrence that the female passenger received a broken arm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9130F
- Reported as
- Aerostar Raven S57-A (RAVEN S57-)
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S57A-3152
- Airframe hours
- 185
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Malcolm L. Noll
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 24, 1999 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- House Springs, MO
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 108 total · 105 in this make and model · 82 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.