- Date
- October 30, 2005, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bethlehem Twp., NJ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4066XCameron Balloons O-90
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Allentown, PA
- FAA report
- 20051030026789A
- Case key
- 62760
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 ground crewmember's inadvertent entanglement in the balloon's vent lines.
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 ground crewmember was assisting in the inflation and launch of a hot air balloon. Just prior to lift-off, as the pilot was adding heat for the climb out, the crewmember became entangled in the two vent lines that were draped outside of the balloon's basket. When the balloon lifted off, the crewmember was lifted approximately 75 feet above ground level. The pilot attempted to lose altitude by venting hot air from the envelope, but was unable, as both vent lines were wrapped about the crewmember's right ankle. The pilot then attempted to get the crewmember closer to the ground by aiming at a small tree. The balloon struck the tree at a downward angle, the crewman became untangled, fell through a barn roof, and sustained serious injuries.
Factual narrative
A ground crewmember was assisting in the inflation and launch of a hot air balloon. Just prior to lift-off, as the pilot was adding heat for the climb out, the crewmember became entangled in the two vent lines that were draped outside of the balloon's basket. When the balloon lifted off, she was lifted approximately 75 feet above ground level. The pilot attempted to lose altitude by venting hot air from the envelope, but was unable, as both vent lines were wrapped about the crewmember's right ankle. The pilot then attempted to get the crewmember closer to the ground by aiming at a small tree. The balloon struck the tree at a downward angle, the crewman became untangled, fell through a barn roof, and sustained serious injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4066X
- Reported as
- Cameron Balloons O-90
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 6216
- Airframe hours
- 265
- Engine
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John A.Long
- Registered owner
- John A. Long
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2005 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- Bethlehem, NJ
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2005
- Flight hours
- 762 total · 762 in this make and model · 762 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- ABE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.