# NTSB CHI94LA284: Head Balloons AX7-77, N21WR, West Chicago, IL, June 25, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 25, 1994, 07:20 local (12:20 UTC)
- Place: West Chicago, IL
- Coordinates: 41.879444, -88.220497 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8794&lon=-88.2205&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 4, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 9641
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI94LA284
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9641/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI94LA284

## Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain proper descent rate.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - proper descent rate - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS OCCUPIED THE BALLOON BASKET.  DURING THE LANDING ONE PASSENGER WAS HOLDING A CHILD. WHEN THE BALLOON LANDED HARD, THE INDIVIDUAL HOLDING THE CHILD SUSTAINED A FRACTURE TO HIS ANKLE.  THE PILOT AND OTHER TWO PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES.

## Factual narrative

On June 25, 1994, at 0720 central daylight time, a Head AX7-77, N21WR, registered to Wesley S. Rinker of Sanford, Florida, and operated by a commercial pilot, experienced a hard landing.  The balloon received no damage.  The pilot and two passengers reported no injuries.  One passenger sustained serious injuries.  The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was being conducted in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file.  The flight departed Geneva, Illinois, at approximately 0625.

The balloon pilot stated that the passenger who was injured was holding his daughter on impact and fractured his ankle.  He gave no explanation for the hard landing.

The passenger stated that during the approach to landing the balloon oscillated and on landing the basket swung into a mound of dirt.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N21WR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21WR-2013-10-31), registration cancelled 2013-10-31, S/N 168, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Head Balloons, Inc. AX7-77
- Registry model: [Head Balloons AX7-77](https://openairdocs.org/model/head-balloons-ax7-77) (registry code 4280100) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 168
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Rinker, Wesley S.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special); Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal
- Departed: NONE, GENEVA, IL
- Destination: NONE, IL

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; commercial, foreign, student, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; medical: unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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 19940625048539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940625048539A), Jun 25, 1994: Thundr AX777, West Chicago, IL. Balloon oscillated prior impacting a dirt mound on landing a passenger fractured an ankle.

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.

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