# NTSB WPR21LA225: Lindstrand Balloons 90A, N1535G, Dayton, NV, May 28, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 28, 2021, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Dayton, NV - Coordinates: 39.296208, -119.55791 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2962&lon=-119.5579&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, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: RNO FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 103227 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA225 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103227/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103227 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA225 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon due to an unexpected high surface wind and downdraft, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=5180005), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5180005), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=5180005), [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. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=5180005), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=5180005), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5180005), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the balloon reported that, while landing, the wind suddenly shifted from about 1 to 10 miles per hour. The balloon ascended about 200 ft, then began to descend. Despite the use of both burners, the pilot was unable to arrest the descent. The basket struck the ground and tipped forward where she was partially ejected while pulling the deflation line. The balloon then began to ascend, and rotate, while the pilot continued to pull the deflation line, she was then fully ejected from the basket. Unable to hold onto the deflation line, she dropped about 15 to 20 ft to the ground and was seriously injured with a broken pelvis and three fractured vertebrae. One of the passengers continued to pull the deflation line and the balloon landed without damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the forecast indicated calm wind at the surface. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1535G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1535G), registered now, S/N 5374, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LINDSTRAND BALLOONS 90A - Registry model: [Lindstrand Balloons 90A](https://openairdocs.org/model/lindstrand-balloons-90a) (registry code 5180005) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 5374 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 252 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Hungerford Brenda G - Registered owner: Hungerford Brenda G - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, December 27, 2020 - Departed: Dayton, NV - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: serious; commercial; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 639 total, 639 in this make and model, 639 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 58 °F - METAR: METAR KCXP 281515Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/M07 A3019 RMK AO2 ## 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 20210528010959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210528010959A), May 28, 2021: Lindstrand Balloons 90A, Dayton, NV, No damage. As the pilot was coming in for a landing, her balloon was caught by a thermal and climbed in the thermal vortex. Coming out the top of the thermal, the balloon… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103227. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12413734&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_1%20Hungerford%202772895%20N1535G_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot report of injuries (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 161 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12661302&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20Pilot%20Interview-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12412992&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo_WPR21LA225-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. --- 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.