# NTSB DEN03LA126: National Ballooning 858, N9011J, Louisville, CO, July 11, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 11, 2003, 07:37 local (13:37 UTC) - Place: Louisville, CO - Coordinates: 39.96389, -105.12722 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9639&lon=-105.1272&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 minor - Status: Completed, report February 5, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57450 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA126 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57450/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA126 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to control the balloon. Contributing factors include the high winds, the attempted remedial action by the pilot, the building, fence, and transmission wires. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, landing - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - attempted, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - building(nonresidential) (contributing factor) - object - fence (contributing factor) - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he departed with variable winds at 6 knots. At approximately 0710, the wind increased to 22 to 24 knots. Approximately 30 minutes later, the pilot located a landing site and started an approach. During the approach, the balloon increased in speed and descended faster than planned. The pilot stated he "quickly went to two burners" with no result. The balloon failed to clear a fence and the pilot pulled the "red line." The basket impacted the ground, ejecting the passengers and pilot. The pilot was dragged behind the basket until his foot disentangled from the red line. Subsequently, the balloon impacted a "building, a fence, a farm gate and transmission wires." The envelope was ripped open at several locations. According to the aviation routine weather report (METAR) taken at 0747 from Jefferson County Airport, winds were reported as 340 degrees at 20 knots. ## Factual narrative On July 11, 2003, at 0737 mountain daylight time, a National Ballooning LTD 858 balloon, N9011J, was substantially damaged when it struck power lines during a landing near Louisville, Colorado. The commercial pilot was seriously injured, and his two passengers received minor injuries. The flight was being operated by Skyspan Adventures, LLC, under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that had departed an off airport site near Boulder, Colorado, at approximately 0640. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, he departed with variable winds at 6 knots. At approximately 0710, the wind increased to 22 to 24 knots. The pilot located a landing site and started an approach. During the approach, the balloons ground speed increased and it descended faster than planned. The pilot stated he "quickly went to two burners" with no result. The balloon failed to clear a fence and the pilot pulled the "red line." The basket impacted the ground, ejecting the passengers and pilot. The pilot was drug behind the basket until his foot disentangled from the red line. Subsequently, the balloon impacted a "building, a fence, a farm gate and transmission wires." The envelope was ripped open at several locations. According to the aviation routine weather report (METAR) taken at 0747 from Jefferson County Airport, winds were reported as 340 degrees at 20 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9011J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9011J-2018-01-18), registration cancelled 2018-01-18, S/N 142, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: National Ballooning LTD 858 - Registry model: [National Ballooning 858](https://openairdocs.org/model/national-ballooning-858) (registry code 6113320) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 142 - Airframe hours: 43 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 24, 2003, 14 hours before - Departed: NONE, Boulder, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: serious; commercial; flight hours: 770 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 20 knots - Visibility: 60 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: BJC, 10 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030711018449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030711018449A), Jul 11, 2003: Natbal 858, Louisville, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 11th, 2003 at approximately 7:30 am local time, hot air balloon, registration number N9011J, piloted by Mr. James b. dutrow, impacted the ground… 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.