# NTSB WPR20CA262: Head AX8 88, N45303, Jackson, WY, August 3, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 3, 2020, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place: Jackson, WY
- Coordinates: 43.5875, -110.8279 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5875&lon=-110.8279&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-change of cruise level: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101772
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA262
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101772/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101772
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA262

## Probable cause

The balloon pilot’s inability to maintain altitude during un-forecasted weather, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=4280200), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=4280200), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=4280200), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=4280200), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-change of cruise level: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400) (defining event); cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=4280200), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=4280200), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The balloon pilot reported that after about 50 minutes of uneventful flying, the wind increased to about 11 miles per hour (mph) while traveling to the southwest. Immediately after, the wind abruptly shifted 180º and increased to about 20 miles per hour. The balloon descended and impacted terrain, slid about 30 yards, and came to rest on its side. The balloon sustained minor damaged, and a passenger sustained a serious broken ankle injury. The weather study revealed that the weather encountered was not forecasted.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N45303](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N45303), registered now, S/N 154 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Head AX8 88 (No Series)
- Registry model: [Head Balloons AX8-88](https://openairdocs.org/model/head-balloons-ax8-88) (registry code 4280200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 154
- Year built: 1988
- Airframe hours: 141
- Engines: Cameron Ultra Double unknown
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection: Annual, May 20, 2020
- Departed: Jackson, WY
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 76; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; last flight review May 25, 2020; seat: none; flight hours: 5,195 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 14,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Observed at: KJAC, 4 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 20200803015529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200803015529A), Aug 3, 2020: Head Balloons Inc AX8-88, Jackson, WY, No damage. 180 Degree shift in wind caused pilot to make emergency landing

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101772. 7.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11200661&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20262_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11615782&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photo%20262-Rel.pdf
- NTSB weather study (item 3, PDF, 11 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12519743&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WX_WPR20CA262_Study-Rel.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.

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