- Date
- April 22, 1993, 08:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Calistoga, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 5 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N63164Aerostar AX-9
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930422013029A
- Case key
- 27963
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 balloon's encounter with higher than forecast winds which resulted in a hard landing. A factor in the accident was the design of the balloon basket with a recessed area which prevented any lateral movement of the injured passenger's foot during the landing.
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
The pilot said that the pre takeoff weather briefing contained a forecast for winds well within the normal range of the balloon's normal operating envelope. The pilot said after about 45 minutes of flight, his ground crew reported an increase in the surface winds to about eight knots. The pilot observed that as he prepared for an approach he noted that several balloons on the ground were laying over. The pilot said he selected a large field and briefed his passengers on a high wind landing. At a point about eight feet above the ground, the winds increased to 12 knots with higher gusts. The pilot reported that he was unable to overcome the wind effects and the balloon touched down hard. The pilot stated that the injured passenger's foot was placed in a recessed area of the basket floor which did not allow for any lateral movement. On ground touchdown, the passenger sustained a dislocation fracture of that ankle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63164
- Reported as
- Aerostar AX-9
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S66A-3043
- Airframe hours
- 174
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Michael Carnevale, doing business as American Balloon Adventures
- Registered owner
- Gary S. Boland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1992 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 2,118 total · 400 in this make and model · 33 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.