# NTSB WPR12CA035: Cameron Balloons A-315, N65400, Vacaville, CA, November 13, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 13, 2011, 09:10 local (17:10 UTC) - Place: Vacaville, CA - Coordinates: 38.406387, -121.970558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4064&lon=-121.9706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 14 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 6, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 82300 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12CA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82300/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82300 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA035 ## Probable cause The balloon’s encounter with increased wind, which resulted in a hard landing and passenger injury. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons A-315, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=1880214), [All aircraft, 1,682 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cameron Balloons A-315, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=1880214), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons A-315, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1880214), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passengers were on a local area flight in a hot air balloon. Prior to departure, the pilot conducted a preflight orientation for the passengers, which included proper positioning in the basket during landing. According to the pilot, upon departure, the wind was from the south at 5 knots; however, when he returned for a landing, the wind had increased to 10 knots. The balloon's descent rate near the surface was 30 feet per minute. Upon contact with the ground, the balloon basket slid about 40 to 50 feet before impacting a 6- to 8-inch curb. The basket stopped abruptly and fell over. One of the passengers sustained a broken leg during the landing. The pilot's ground crew reported that the passenger was not against the downwind basket side at the time of ground contact. The pilot indicated that prior to departure, he will now require passengers to demonstrate their landing positioning so that he can ensure their understanding. ## Factual narrative The pilot and his passengers were on a local area flight in a hot air balloon. Prior to departure, the pilot conducted a preflight orientation for the passengers which included proper positioning in the basket during landing. Upon departure the winds were from the south at 5 knots. During landing, the pilot noted that the winds had increased to 10 knots. The balloon's descent rate near the surface was 30 feet per minute. Upon contact with the ground, the balloon basket slid approximately 40 to 50 feet before impacting a 6 to 8-inch curb. The basket stopped abruptly and fell over. One of the passengers sustained a broken leg during the landing. The pilot's ground crew reported that the passenger was not against the downwind basket side at the time of ground contact. The pilot indicated that prior to departure, he will now require passengers to demonstrate their landing positioning so that he can ensure their understanding. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65400](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65400), registered now, S/N 6596 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CAMERON BALLOONS A-315 - Registry model: [Cameron Balloons A-315](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-a-315) (registry code 1880214) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 6596 - Airframe hours: 237 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Operator: Napa Valley Balloons Inc - Registered owner: Napa Valley Balloons Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 13, 2011, 40 hours before - Departed: Winters, CA - Destination: Vacaville, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review April 17, 2011; flight hours: 5,790 total, 275 in this make and model, 5,760 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: VCB, 1 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 20111113027009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111113027009A), Nov 13, 2011: Cameron Balloons A-315, Vacaville, CA, No damage. A sight seeing hot air balloon flight with 14 passengers and 1 pilot aboard was making a controlled descent and landing near Nut Tree Airport, Vacaville, CA.… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 7, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82300. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359294&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.