- Date
- September 16, 2007, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bossier City, LA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N105WBUltra Magic M-56C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Baton Rouge, Louisana
- FAA report
- 20070916019439A
- Case key
- 66682
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 pilot's failure to arrest an excessive descent rate prior to ground contact, which resulted in a hard 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 hot air balloon landed hard during an organized balloon festival. The 472-hour commercial pilot reported that while attempting to land the hot air balloon within the "target area," he and the passenger were ejected from the basket during a hard landing. The balloon bounced and became airborne without any of the occupants. The pilot attempted to control the balloon by holding onto the balloon's tether rope. The unoccupied balloon ascended with the pilot holding onto the rope. The pilot was seriously injured when he was no longer able to hold onto the rope and fell to the ground. In the recommendation section of the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1), the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he would have used a slower rate of descent. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 110 degrees at 4 knots.
Factual narrative
The hot air balloon landed hard during an organized balloon festival. The 472-hour commercial pilot reported that while attempting to land the hot air balloon within the "target area," he and the passenger were ejected from the basket during the hard landing. The balloon bounced and became airborne without any of the occupants. The pilot attempted to control the balloon by holding onto the balloon's tether rope. The unoccupied balloon ascended with the pilot holding onto the rope. The pilot was seriously injured when he was no longer able to hold onto the rope and fell to the ground. In the recommendation section of the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1), the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he would have used a slower rate of descent. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 110 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N105WB
- Reported as
- Ultra Magic M-56C
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 56/27
- Airframe hours
- 89
- Engine
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2007
- Departed
- Bossier City, LA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2007
- Flight hours
- 472 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.