# NTSB LAX05LA162: Ultramagic N-250, N3002J, Del Mar, CA, May 9, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 8, 2005, 19:30 local (May 9, 2005, 02:30 UTC) - Place: Del Mar, CA - Coordinates: 32.968887, -117.206947 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9689&lon=-117.2069&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 9 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61451 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX05LA162 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61451/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA162 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to arrest the high rate of descent and an inadequate bounced landing recovery technique. a factor in the accident was the rough, uneven terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - proper descent rate - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The balloon landed hard in rough, uneven terrain injuring one of the nine passengers. After departure the balloon drifted in a south easterly direction between the altitudes of 500 feet and 2,000 feet above ground level for a period of 40 minutes. The pilot briefed the passengers for landing, flew over some power lines, and landed in a construction site. The balloon had a high rate of descent when it landed and bounced, followed by a second touchdown bounce, and then came to rest. The injured passenger stated that they received a good briefing from the pilot prior to landing. She said that they landed hard in uneven terrain, bounced, landed hard a second time, bounced, and then the basket came to rest lopsided on a hillside. She said she fractured her tibia and fibula during the second landing bounce. She said she was prepared for the first landing but did not expect the bounce and second landing touchdown. The pilot indicated in the accident report that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon. ## Factual narrative On May 8, 2005, at 1930 Pacific daylight time, an Ultramagic N-250 hot air balloon, N3002J, landed hard in a field 2 miles east of Del Mar, California. The balloon was operated by the commercial balloon pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a commercial revenue sightseeing flight. One of the 9 passengers was seriously injured during the landing; the remaining 8 passengers and the pilot were not injured. The balloon was not damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Rancho Santa Fe, California, at 1850. The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report that the balloon departed from the Del Mar Palms area carrying 9 passengers. They drifted in a southeasterly direction between the altitudes of 500 feet and 2,000 feet above ground level (agl) for a period of 40 minutes. He briefed the passengers for landing, flew over some power lines, and landed in a construction site. The balloon had a normal first bounce followed by a second touchdown and a short skid to a stop. The passenger fractured her leg during the second touchdown. The injured passenger stated to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that they received a good briefing from the pilot prior to landing. She continued to state that they landed hard in uneven terrain, bounced, landed hard a second time, bounced, and then the basket came to rest lopsided on a hillside. She said she fractured her tibia and fibula during the second landing bounce. She said she was prepared for the first landing but did not expect the bounce and second landing touchdown. The pilot indicated in the accident report that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the balloon. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3002J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3002J-2018-03-01), registration cancelled 2018-03-01, S/N 250/14 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ultramagic N-250 - Registry model: [Ultramagic S A N-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/ultramagic-s-a-n-250) (registry code 9130008) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: S#250-14 - Airframe hours: 490 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Dick B Cochran - Registered owner: Jamie Charland - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2004, 98 hours before - Departed: Rancho Santa Fe, CA - Destination: Del Mar, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review April 1, 2005; flight hours: 976 total, 9 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 300° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: KSAN, 16 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 20050508010919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050508010919A), May 8, 2005: Amtr N250, San Diego, CA. (-23) N3002J, an ultramagic hot air balloon, made a normal landing with 9 passengers on board. The PIC, [privacy data omitted] had briefed passengers prior to… 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.