N9084D

On June 5, 1994, between 0915 and 0945 Pacific daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly 8, N9084D, operated by Dreams Unlimited, Canyon Country, California, collided with rough terrain during a high wind landing near Acton, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the sightseeing flight. The balloon was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot and two passengers received minor injuries, and the third passenger received serious injuries. The accident flight originated from Canyon Country between 0745 and 0815.

On June 10, 1994, the pilot telephoned the National Transportation Safety Board and provided his initial notification of the accident. Regarding the accident flight, the pilot stated that prior to taking off he had telephoned the Hawthorne Flight Service Station and had received a weather briefing. He was informed that the local winds were forecast to be light and variable.

The Safety Board received three written statements regarding facts of the accident flight. Two of the statements were received from passengers, and one statement was received from the pilot upon his completion of the Safety Board's "Aircraft Accident Report," NTSB Form 6120.1.

In pertinent part, the passengers' statements indicated that during the morning of June 5, the pilot had made a series of takeoffs and landings with several groups of passengers. The pilot reported that prior to taking off he launched about three pilot information balloons (pibals). The pibals arose to an altitude of 500 feet where they appeared to drift slowly to the west. About 1,000 feet above ground level (agl), they went in a northeasterly direction at about 10 knots.

The pilot performed his initial takeoff around 0715. He flew for about 1/2 hour and landed uneventfully. The first group of passengers exited the balloon. The accident passengers then climbed into the balloon and their flight commenced. The takeoff was uneventful, and nothing unusual was experienced either during their 1/2-hour-long flight or during landing.

The accident passengers stayed in the balloon while several passengers departed and one new passenger boarded. Then, the group took off and they flew for about 1/2 hour.

The pilot reported that he observed the wind speed increasing, and he began looking for suitable landing places. Several attempts were made to land. However, because of obstructions or "squirrelly" wind, none were initially successful. The flight continued, and one of the two fuel tanks completely emptied. The fuel remaining in the second tank was noted down to 25 percent. In the pilot's "Aircraft Accident Report" he made the following statement regarding the events which ensued:

We then crossed the 14 Freeway at a high rate of speed. We spotted a field full of rocks with no vehicle access and flew on to some promising fields just past Hubbard Road. Upon approach, power lines were spotted and the landing was scrubbed. One of the passengers was getting very agitated at this time. She was on the floor of the basket and holding my leg. I assured her that we were going to land and that everything was going to be OK. Our airspeed was increasing and fewer and fewer landing spots were available. From our position, I could see a field just over a small hill free of power lines and other obstructions except for some juniper bushes. I descended and leveled off and scraped the top of the hill to attempt to slow our speed. I instructed the passengers to get on the floor of the basket. They were already there. On the lee side of the hill, I vented slightly to start our descent and then burned as we came in. At approximately 20 feet above the ground, I pulled on the vent line all the way. We hit the ground just short of the field in a small ravine on the downward side. We ricocheted across the ravine and upon hitting the other side the uprights sheared off. The strap holding one of the propane tanks came loose. That strap also held the vent line pulley. I grabbed the three vent lines and pulled on them so that the balloon would continue to vent and not become airborne again. We finally stopped in a juniper bush with the propane lines and one upright, the only thing holding the envelope/burners in place. All passengers were in a heap in the bottom of the basket.

The passenger who was transported to the hospital estimated that the accident occurred between 0945 and 1000. She reported being admitted to the hospital at 1045.