NYC95LA182

The commercial pilot had been invited on the flight as a passenger by the private pilot/owner. The commercial pilot stated that during the flight they encountered turbulence and he started flying the balloon. He intended to land in an open parking lot; however, the balloon drifted towards a highway. As the balloon was approaching the highway, a downdraft was encountered, and a tractor trailer on the highway collided with the balloon's basket. The commercial pilot and one passenger were thrown from the basket. The private pilot/owner landed the balloon following the collision.

On August 6, 1995, at 0941 eastern daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly 7, N3716G, a hot-air balloon, sustained substantial damage during a collision with a tractor trailer, while maneuvering to land in a parking lot near Owego, New York. The commercial pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and the private pilot/owner and another passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated at the Tri-Cities Airport, Endicott, New York. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a statement submitted by the commercial pilot, he stated:

The flight originated from the Spiedie Fest/Balloon Rally at the Tri-Cities Airport....I was asked by [another pilot] to fly with him and his friends....The 0600 pilot briefing was dense fog with possible light rain in the forecast. Winds were [from] 080 [degrees] at 5 knots at 1000 feet and increasing to 10 [to] 20 knots at 4000 feet. The fog was forecast to clear at about 0830.

At 0845 the rally organizer cleared for a flight and was inflating his balloon. [The pilot] decided to proceed with the inflation....

[During the flight] I noticed hawks beginning to soar, which is a sign of thermal activity and remarked that we should be landing at the first opportunity....At this time I was flying the balloon. I attempted a rapid descent into the field but the balloon was being taken into the trees to the south. We avoided going into the trees which were at this time oscillating due to the turbulence....I realized that we were caught in some form of turbulence....Ahead in the direction we were moving there was...an open parking lot. I had hoped for that lot as a landing site, but...we were continuing to turn away from that direction....We crossed the river and over the line of trees between the river and the highway. I felt a downward push on the balloon, a form of a downdraft. Now the basket was below the treetop level....I noticed a tractor trailer in the right hand lane on the highway....I knew that a collision was inevitable. Upon contact with the tractor trailer, I blanked out and was thrown form the basket.

I was later informed that the female passenger had also been thrown from the basket, and the other passenger and [pilot] had remained in. After a rapid ascension, [the pilot] was able to bring the balloon to a safe landing.