N9015Y

On October 22, 2016, about 0838 eastern daylight time, an Aerostar International, Inc. RX-8 balloon, N9015Y, registered to and operated by Up Up Away Hot Air Balloon Company, incurred minor damage while landing in a field near Mount Ulla, North Carolina. The balloon was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a revenue sightseeing flight. The commercial pilot and three passengers sustained no injuries, while the remaining passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated about 53 minutes earlier from Statesville Regional Airport (SVH), Statesville, North Carolina.

The pilot stated that the balloon was part of the Carolina BalloonFest, and prior to the flight he attended a pilot briefing and was informed that the wind would be picking up after 0900. In advance of the flight he informed the passengers of the procedures related to landing stance, to hold the handles inside the basket, and to keep their arms and legs inside the basket.

After takeoff the balloon drifted in an east-southeasterly direction, and, due to the time aloft, the pilot elected to land in a hay field. Prior to landing, he informed the passengers that that they needed to hold on and to expect a "bouncy and hard landing." On approach to the field, he noticed the surface winds had significantly increased and informed the passengers to face the direction of travel with their knees bent, and that after touchdown the basket may tip on its side. He also instructed them to, "put down your cameras and hang on with both hands", and that they were going to bounce. The husband of the injured passenger reported his wife was using one hand to secure her camera that was around her neck, and her other hand was holding onto the basket railing. Just prior to touchdown, the pilot pulled the deflation line and reported a hard landing. After ground contact, the basket leaned on its side and the passenger who was holding on with one hand put her arms out of the basket. He then informed all to keep their arms and legs inside, and another passenger grabbed the passenger who had put her arms outside. The basket then became airborne shortly followed by another ground contact. The balloon was dragged on the ground for a short distance, and after coming to rest, the passenger who had put her arms outside at touchdown complained of pain. The pilot identified their location, called 911, and the injured passenger was transported to a hospital for treatment. Her injuries included a fractured vertebrae and wrist.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Weather reports taken at SVH reported the wind at the time of departure from 260° at 4 kts. The wind remained between 3 and 4 kts from the southwest between 0745 and 0825, while the next observation at 0845, or about 7 minutes after the accident, depicted the wind from 280° at 8 kts.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Passenger Briefings and Management

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Balloon Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-11A (2008), the various aspects of landing a balloon are discussed and states in part:In any branch of aviation, takeoff and landing are the most critical maneuvers. In ballooning, landing is number one. The vast majority of ballooning accidents and injuries occur on landing. This handbook also discusses passenger briefings and management indicating that "hold on tight" in two places is probably the least followed of the landing instructions. It goes on to say that most passengers are not mentally prepared for the shock that can occur when a 7,000 pound balloon contacts the ground. Passengers should be reminded to hold on tight, and the correct places to hold, whether they are factory-built passenger handles or places in the balloon's basket the pilot considers appropriate.