Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yountville, California 94599
Tuesady, February 25, 2003 7:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A bystander sustained fatal injuries after falling from a balloon. Although the scheduled flight had been canceled, the pilot was going to lift the balloon several hundred feet into the air so that the passengers could take a picture of the balloon in flight. As the balloon was being repositioned by five members of a ground crew, two bystanders grabbed onto the basket and it ascended more than the pilot had planned. She called to everyone to release. The five crew members and one bystander released; however, one bystander continued holding onto the balloon. During the ascent, the pilot realized the bystander was hanging on and told him to hang on while she descended. However, the bystander was unable to hold on and fell to his death. Tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) levels in the bystander suggested use within the hour and significant impairment.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A bystander was impaired by drugs and did not follow the pilot's directive to release the balloon as it began its ascent.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/25/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 755
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City YOUNTVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94599
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 382500N
Event Location Longitude 1222100W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 754 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID APC
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.81
Density Altitude (feet) -236
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 1
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16116
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Feb 25 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SAC-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1501H
NTSB Number LAX03LA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FIREFLY
Aircraft Model 11B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number B112001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1182
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 9
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10.5
Airframe Hours 33
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BONAVENTURA BALLOON COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 133 WALL RD
Aircraft Owner City NAPA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94558
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City YOUNTVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2004 5:43PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --