- Date
- May 23, 2004, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Whately, MA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6123UCameron Balloons N90
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040523010559A
- Case key
- 59272
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 clearance from the trees. A factor was windshear.
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 surface winds were very light when the balloon tookoff; however, the wind velocity increased during the flight. Due to the increased wind velocity, the pilot chose an open field to land the balloon. During the approach, windshear drove the balloon into trees. The balloon then became entangled in trees about 10 feet agl. A tree limb subsequently broke, and the balloon fell to the ground. The reported weather about the time of the accident included variable winds at 4-6 knots, with thunderstorm activity in the area.
Factual narrative
On May 23, 2004, about 1900 eastern daylight time, a Cameron Balloons N90, N6123U, sustained minor damage while landing in Whately, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured, while one passenger sustained a serious injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Conway, Massachusetts, about 1800. No flight plan was filed for the sightseeing flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that the surface winds were very light during takeoff; however, the wind velocity increased during the flight. Due to the increased wind velocity, the pilot located an open field to land the balloon. During the approach, windshear drove the balloon into trees. The balloon then became entangled in trees about 10 feet agl. A tree limb subsequently broke, and the balloon fell to the ground. During the fall, a passenger suffered a fractured leg.
The reported weather at an airport approximately 20 miles south of the accident site, at 1853, was: wind variable at 4 knots; ceiling 4,900 feet overcast; temperature 73 degrees F; dew point 66 degrees F; altimeter 29.83 inches Hg; remark lightning in the distance to the south and southwest.
The reported weather at an airport approximately 20 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1852, was: wind variable at 6 knots; ceiling 11,000 feet overcast; temperature 68 degrees F; dew point 60 degrees F; altimeter 29.88 inches Hg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6123U
- Reported as
- Cameron Balloons N90
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 5545
- Engine
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mary C. Clayton-Jones
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Conway, MA
- Destination
- NONE · Whately, MA
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3,225 total · 200 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- BAF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.