- Date
- September 12, 2021, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ryegate, VT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N83KXSproul Keith A 83K-16
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210912015599I
- Case key
- 103890
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 secure himself to the balloon seat which resulted in a loss of control of the balloon.
Findings · 3
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 and passenger departed early for a day of ballooning. As they approached the selected landing area, the pilot started a descent to slow the balloon in slower winds. As the balloon neared the treetops, the wind direction shifted slightly, which resulted in the balloon colliding with a tree. During the flight, and unbeknownst to the pilot, his lapbelt had become unsecured, and after the impact with the tree, he slid forward in the seat and held on to the uprights of the chair to prevent falling from the balloon. In this position the pilot could no longer control the balloon and remained holding onto the frame as the balloon went through the trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the envelope and frame. The pilot reported that the balloon had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83KX
- Reported as
- Sproul Keith A 83K-16
- Category
- Balloon, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S-005
- Built
- 2019
- Airframe hours
- 140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 13, 2021
- Departed
- 2B9 · Post Mills Airport, VT
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- January 8, 2021
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 2,253 total · 140 in this make and model · 253 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- MPV, 19 nm away
- METAR
- KMPV 121351Z AUTO 21012G20KT 10SM CLR 21/14 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP146 T02110144
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.