Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Redmond, Washington 98052
Sunday, September 15, 1991 19:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EXECUTING A LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WINDS RESULTING IN AN INCREASED SINK RATE. THE PILOT DID NOT ADJUST FOR THE BALLOON'S INCREASED SINK RATE IN TIME TO PREVENT A HARD LANDING DURING WHICH ONE PASSENGER SUFFERED A BROKEN ANKLE AND SUBSEQUENT HOSPITALIZATION IN EXCESS OF 48 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER RATE OF DESCENT. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNFAVORABLE WINDS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City REDMOND
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98052
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1945 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 308
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2239
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45179
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6544C
NTSB Number SEA91LA250
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Raven
Aircraft Model S-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-60A
Aircraft Serial Number S60A-3072
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROY WOOD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1069 LYNNWOOD AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City RENTON
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98056
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROY WOOD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1069 LYNNWOOD AVENUE
Operator City RENTON
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98056
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City WOODENVILLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1855
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City REDMOND
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --