# NTSB CHI04CA191: Aerostar RX-7, N7144Y, Wausau, WI, July 25, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 24, 2004, 19:00 local (Jul 25, 2004, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Wausau, WI - Coordinates: 44.926109, -89.632225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9261&lon=-89.6322&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Milwaukee FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59901 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04CA191 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59901/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04CA191 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to compensation for the turbulence and wind conditions. Contributing factors were the variable winds and the turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Altitude deviation,uncontrolled, cruise - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - weather condition - variable wind (contributing factor) - Hard landing, landing - compensation for wind conditions - not successful, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot suffered a broken leg when the hot air balloon experienced a hard landing due to gusty winds. The balloon was not damaged. The pilot reported a normal ascent and smooth flight for the first 5 minutes. She stated that the balloon then encountered turbulence. Initially the balloon climbed at 800 feet per minute (fpm) on a north-northwesterly heading, before switching to a southeasterly heading about 1,800 feet agl. Shortly afterward the balloon began to descend at 800 fpm. When the balloon reached an altitude of 100 feet agl the pilot attempted a normal landing. She estimated the wind was about 3 miles per hour toward the east-southeast. During the landing attempt, the pilot reported that a wind gust lifted the balloon up and over some trees and across a road. She noted that the balloon subsequently landed normally in a "swampy" area. However, before she could alert the ground crew a wind gust lifted the balloon to about 250 feet agl. The balloon subsequently traveled across a road and dropped into a hay field. She reported that she broke her leg during the hard landing. The pilot stated that because the envelope was partially deflated at this point, she did not have time to use the airborne heater to soften the impact. The balloon was dragged by the wind until she could retrieve the vent line to fully deflate the envelope. The pilot stated that she had obtained a pre-flight weather briefing from Green Bay Automated Flight Service Station. She also reported that they had launched several PIBAL's (pilot balloon observation) to check upper level winds prior to launch. ## Factual narrative On July 24, 2004, about 1900 central daylight time, an Aerostar RX-7 balloon, N7144Y, piloted by a private pilot, experienced a hard landing during which the pilot suffered a broken leg. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The passenger reported no injuries. The local flight departed the Wausau area approximately 1850. In her written statement, the pilot reported a normal ascent from the launch field. She noted that the balloon was in level flight about 500 feet above ground level (agl) for the first 5 minutes of the flight. The pilot stated that the balloon then encountered turbulence. Initially the balloon climbed at 800 feet per minute (fpm) on a north-northwesterly heading. When it reached 1,800 feet agl the direction of the prevailing winds switched toward the southeast. Shortly afterward the balloon began to descend at 800 fpm. The pilot stated that when the balloon reached an altitude of 100 feet agl she attempted a normal landing. She estimated the wind was about 3 miles per hour toward the east-southeast. During the landing attempt, a wind gust lifted the balloon up and over some trees and across a road. She reported that the balloon subsequently landed normally in a "swampy" area. However, before she could alert the ground crew a wind gust lifted the balloon to about 250 feet agl. The balloon traveled across a road and dropped into a hay field. She reported that she broke her leg during the hard landing. The pilot noted that because the envelope was partially deflated at this point, she did not have time to use the airborne heater to soften the impact. The balloon was subsequently dragged by the wind until she could retrieve the vent line to fully deflate the envelope. The pilot stated that she had obtained a pre-flight weather briefing from Green Bay Automated Flight Service Station. She also reported that they had launched several PIBAL's (pilot balloon observation) to check upper level winds prior to launch. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7144Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7144Y-2023-02-04), registration cancelled 2023-02-04, S/N RX7-3318, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerostar RX-7 - Registry model: [Aerostar International RX-7](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rx-7) (registry code 7487007) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: RX7-3318 - Airframe hours: 325 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 11, 2003, 39 hours before - Departed: Wausau, WI - Destination: Wausau, WI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: serious; private; last flight review July 2, 2004; flight hours: 181 total, 181 in this make and model, 181 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,700 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: AUW ## 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 20040724028349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040724028349A), Jul 24, 2004: Raven RX7, Wausua, WI. (-23) Balloon was launched during calm wind conditions approximately 5 miles west of wausau, WI. Shortly after launch, thermals and wind shear were encountered… 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.