- Date
- September 10, 2008, 19:10 local (Sep 11, 2008, 00:10 UTC)
- Place
- Springfield, IL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2053DFirefly Balloons 8B-15
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Springfield, MO
- FAA report
- 20080910850299A
- Case key
- 68958
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 failure of the passenger to follow the pilot's instructions by not steadying herself during the landing.
Findings · 1
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 the ground winds were 1 to 2 miles per hour, and the winds between 500 and 1,500 feet above the ground varied from 5 to 8 miles per hour during the uneventful flight. He reported that he chose a backyard in which to land, and at an altitude of seven to nine feet above the ground they threw a line out to the chase crew to slow them down. The pilot reported that before reaching the ground, two more chase crewmembers grabbed the gondola to slow them down even more and to soften the landing. Upon touching down, one passenger lost her balance and fell into a 91-year-old passenger, knocking her to the bottom of the gondola. The 91-year-old passenger suffered two broken legs and a broken ankle. The pilot reported that prior to the departure all of the passengers were instructed to hold on tight, bend their knees, and stay inside the gondola during the landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported the ground winds were 1 to 2 miles per hour, and the winds between 500 and 1,500 feet above the ground varied from 5 to 8 miles per hour during the uneventful flight. He reported he chose a backyard in which to land, and at an altitude of seven to nine feet above the ground they threw a line out to the chase crew to slow them down. The pilot reported that before reaching the ground, two more chase crewmembers grabbed the gondola to slow them down even more and to soften the landing. Upon touching down, one passenger lost her balance and fell into a 91 year old passenger, knocking her to the bottom of the gondola. The 91 year old passenger suffered two broken legs and a broken ankle. The pilot reported that prior to the departure, all of the passengers were instructed to hold on tight, bend their knees, and stay inside the gondola during the landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2053D
- Reported as
- Firefly Balloons 8B-15
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- B82088-3-5
- Engine
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Edward J. Dowling
- Registered owner
- Edward J. Dowling
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Springfield, IL
- Destination
- Springfield, IL
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 586 total · 431 in this make and model · 552 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- SPI, 2 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.