- Date
- April 12, 2015, 07:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Sherwood, OR
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N890VBUltramagic M90 - NO Series
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Portland FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150412004189A
- Case key
- 91014
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 maintain the descent rate, resulting in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
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 balloon was descending toward a row of trees during an approach to a field. The pilot added heat to make the balloon ascend. Once clear of the trees, the pilot opened a vent to descend and his hand became entangled in the line. The pilot freed his hand and realized that the descent rate was excessive. He maneuvered the balloon for a landing in the field; the balloon bounced, went up about 10 to 15 feet above ground level, and then landed hard. Two passengers sustained broken feet. The balloon sustained substantial damage to 31 fabric panels in the envelope as a result of contact with the burner flames during the landing sequence. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon prior to the flight that would have precluded normal operation of the balloon.
Factual narrative
The balloon was descending toward a row of trees during an approach to a field. The pilot added heat to make the balloon ascend. Once clear of the trees, the pilot opened a vent to descend and his hand became entangled in the line. The pilot freed his hand and realized that the descent rate was excessive. He maneuvered the balloon for a landing in the field; the balloon bounced, went up about 10 to 15 feet above ground level, and then landed hard. Two passengers sustained broken feet. The balloon sustained substantial damage to 31 fabric panels in the envelope as a result of contact with the burner flames during the landing sequence. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon prior to the flight that would have precluded normal operation of the balloon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N890VB
- Reported as
- Ultramagic M90 - NO Series (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 90/115
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 134.3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Vista Balloon Adventures Inc
- Registered owner
- Vista Balloon Adventures Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 4, 2014
- Departed
- 2S6 · Newberg, OR
- Destination
- 2S6 · Newberg, OR
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
- August 26, 2014
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 551.5 total · 19.8 in this make and model · 535.8 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 0.8 in the last 30 days · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- KUAO, 7 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.9 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.