# NTSB GAA16LA172: Balloon Works FIREFLY8B, N3180S, Rock Hill, SC, March 12, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 12, 2016, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Rock Hill, SC - Coordinates: 34.89722, -81.080001 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8972&lon=-81.0800&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 16, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA South Carolina FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92926 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16LA172 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92926/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92926 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA172 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate compensation for wind, which resulted in the balloon landing hard and a passenger sustaining a serious injury. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1050111), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=1050111), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=1050111), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=1050111), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1050111), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was operating a balloon sightseeing trip with two passengers on board. According to the pilot, after the balloon cleared trees during the approach to a field, a wind gust and downdraft caused it to land hard; the balloon sustained no damage. The pilot reported that, for the landing sequence, both passengers were instructed to put their feet and knees together, slightly bend their knees, and hold onto two places in the basket. During the hard landing, one passenger was thrown into another passenger and impacted her leg with his knee, which resulted in her sustaining a serious injury. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have prevented normal operation. The closest weather reporting system, located about 5.5 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, and the pilot reported that the wind was from 110 degrees and between about 3 and 5 knots around the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot did not adequately compensate for the wind during the landing approach, which resulted in the hard landing and the passenger's serious injuries. ## Factual narrative On March 12, 2016 about 0900 eastern standard time, a Balloon Works Firefly 8B-15 balloon, N3180S, landed hard in a field in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. A second passenger sustained serious injuries during the landing sequence. The balloon was registered to Eagle's Wings Hot Air Balloons LLC of Rock Hill, and operated by the pilot, as a day, visual flight rules, passenger flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from private property in Rock Hill, and was conducted in the local area. According to the pilot, after clearing trees during the approach to a field, a wind gust and downdraft caused a hard landing. One passenger was thrown into the second passenger, impacting her leg with his knee. The second passenger sustained serious injury. The pilot reported that for the landing sequence, both passengers were instructed to put their feet and knees together, slightly bend their knees, and hold onto two places in the basket. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon prior to the flight that would have resulted in abnormal operation of the balloon. The balloon sustained no damage. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The closest weather reporting station to the accident site was Rock Hill-York County Airport (UZA), about 5.5 nautical miles to the northeast, which reported about 6 minutes prior to the time of the accident, that the wind was 3 knots from 110 degrees. The pilot reported that the wind condition at the accident site was 5 knots from 110 degrees. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Landing and Passenger Securement The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published the Balloon Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-11A (2008). This handbook discusses the various aspects of landing a balloon and states in part: In any branch of aviation, takeoff and landing are the most critical maneuvers. In ballooning, landing is number one. The vast majority of ballooning accidents and injuries occur on landing. The leading factor in accidents is wind. Highly variable surface winds often speed up, slow down, stop, turn, and even go backward. This handbook also discusses passenger securement during the landing and states in part: Up to this point, the typical balloon flight has been relatively gentle, and most passengers are not mentally prepared for the shock that can occur when a 7,000 pound balloon contacts the ground. Passengers should be reminded to hold on tight. The pilot should advise the passengers of correct places to hold, whether they are factory-built passenger handles or places in the balloon's basket the pilot considers appropriate. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3180S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3180S), registered now, S/N F8B-506 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY8B (15) - Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8b-15) (registry code 1050111) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: B8506-3 - Year built: 1996 - Airframe hours: 391 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, March 8, 2016 - Departed: None, Rock Hill, SC - Destination: None, Rock Hill, SC - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; sport pilot, commercial; last flight review August 16, 2014; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 336 total, 336 in this make and model, 331 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 3 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: KUZA, 5 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 20160312004409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160312004409A), Mar 12, 2016: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, Rock Hill, SC, No damage. On Saturday March 12, 2016 the pilot was decending for a landing in an open field in a Balloon with a male and female passenger on board. Just prior to touch… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92926. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439744&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 165 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439745&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF 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.