- Date
- February 9, 2005, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cave Creek, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N3037VCameron Balloons A-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administation
- FAA report
- 20050209002209A
- Case key
- 61031
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 inadequate handling of the balloon during boarding resulting in a passenger falling and sustaining a serious injury.
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
A passenger fell while boarding the balloon, and broke her collarbone. Prior to the envelope's hot air inflation, the pilot had two passengers preboard the balloon due to one of the female passenger's physical limitations and speed of the surface wind. He estimated that the surface wind was 4-5 mph. As he started hot inflation of the balloon, the envelope started to stand upright. At that time, he instructed the third passenger to board. As she climbed into the basket, the side of the basket that she was on lifted slightly causing her to lose her balance and she fell into the basket. A medical examination revealed that she had a broken collarbone. The pilot stated that the balloon and heater had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
On February 9, 2005, about 1645 mountain standard time, a passenger fell and fractured her collarbone while boarding a Cameron Balloon A-250, N3037V, near Cave Creek Arizona. Hot Air Expeditions was operating the balloon under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured; one passenger sustained serious injuries. The balloon was not damaged. The local sightseeing flight was boarding prior to departure, and was to land elsewhere in Cave Creek. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had not been filed.
The pilot submitted a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2). He stated that, prior to the envelope's hot air inflation, he had two of the passengers preboard the balloon due to one of the female passenger's physical limitations and speed of the surface wind. He stated that the estimated surface wind was 4-5 mph. As he started hot air inflation of the balloon, the envelope started to stand upright. At that time, he instructed the third passenger to board. As she started to climb up using the footholds, the side of the basket that she was on lifted off the ground causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor of the basket. A medical examination revealed that she had a broken collarbone.
The pilot stated that the balloon and heater had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3037V
- Reported as
- Cameron Balloons A-250
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 6052
- Airframe hours
- 387.2
- Engine
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Hot Air Expeditions
- Registered owner
- MARS Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 1, 2005 · 10.5 hours before
- Departed
- Cave Creek, AZ
- Airport
- DVT · Deer Valley Airport
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- DVT, 3 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.
Other investigations on N3037V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.