CAMERON BALLOONS A-315
Vacaville, CA — November 13, 2011
Event Information
| Date | November 13, 2011 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR12CA035 |
| Event ID | 20111114X31311 |
| Location | Vacaville, CA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 38.40639, -121.97056 |
| Highest Injury | SERS |
Aircraft
| Make | CAMERON BALLOONS |
| Model | A-315 |
| Category | BALL |
| FAR Part | 091 |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 1 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 14 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The balloon’s encounter with increased wind, which resulted in a hard landing and passenger injury.
Full 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.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.