Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the fence while landing. A contributing factor was the high wind condition.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot received a weather briefing and when they launched the balloon, the wind was as reported during the briefing. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the wind speed had increased. The pilot told his passenger that they were going to conduct a "lay down landing," and he briefed her on the proper landing position. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when both he and his passenger saw a fence in their flight path that they "had not seen before." The pilot attempted to slow the descent; however, they were too close, and the balloon basket impacted the fence. The passenger was thrown forward against the other side of the basket where she impacted and broke her arm. The balloon subsequently impacted the ground and drug approximately 300 feet before coming to a stop. The passenger reported that she had flown with the pilot on numerous occasions and was familiar with the balloon. She knew they were going to hit the fence; however, she "must not have been holding on tight enough" since she was thrown to the opposite side of the balloon basket.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 29, 2001, at 0830 central daylight time, a Cameron Balloon N-77 hot-air balloon, N60206, was not damaged when it impacted a fence post while landing in a field near McKinney, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, his passenger sustained serious injuries when she was thrown from the balloon basket. The balloon was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The local flight departed a field at an unknown time. According to the pilot's written statement, he received a weather briefing from the Fort Worth Flight Service Station at 0530, and when they launched the flight, at 0745, the wind was as reported during the briefing. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the wind speed had increased. The pilot told his passenger that they were going to conduct a "lay down landing," and briefed her on the proper landing position. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when both he and his passenger saw a fence in their flight path that they "had not seen before." The pilot attempted to slow the descent; however, they were too close, and the balloon basket impacted the fence. The passenger was thrown forward against the other side of the basket and sustained a broken arm. The balloon subsequently impacted the ground and drug approximately 300 feet before coming to a stop. During a telephone interview, conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the passenger stated that she had flown with the pilot on numerous occasions and was familiar with the balloon. She reported that during the flight, the wind speed increased. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when they saw the fence that was not previously visible, and the descent rate was too excessive to avoid the fence. She knew they were going to hit the fence; however, she "must not have been holding on tight enough" since she was thrown to the opposite side of the balloon basket.