Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sparta, Missouri 65753
Friday, May 27, 2005 19:40 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The balloon sustained minor damage and the pilot sustained serious injuries when a wind gust was encountered while descending for landing following a tethered flight. The two passengers on-board were not injured. The pilot reported that he obtained a preflight weather briefing during which he was advised that forecast winds were to be 7 knots. He noted that he departed from his residence on a free balloon flight. After take off the flight proceeded in an easterly direction and landed about 30 minutes later. He stated that no unusual weather activity was observed during that flight and winds remained light. The pilot stated that after landing he elected to provide tethered balloon rides for residents in the area. He reported that while descending to land after the final ride, while about 30 feet above ground level, a "strong north wind suddenly hit the balloon." He estimated the wind gust was 25 miles per hour. He stated that he could not hold the balloon and it began to travel toward the south at a "rapid speed," which resulted in a hard landing in the next field. He reported that he pulled the vent line in an attempt to deflate the balloon envelope. The pilot stated that he was subsequently "bounced out" of the basket and was dragged through the field. The balloon "relaunched" itself in the high wind and flew into a tree. He was no longer able to hold onto the vent line and fell about 20 feet to the ground. The pilot suffered a fractured pelvis and compressed vertebrae.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to maintain a proper descent rate due to the wind gust resulting in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the wind gust and the tree struck during the landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/27/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1940 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Sparta |
| Event State | MISSOURI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 65753 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 370000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0930500W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PVT |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1952 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 310 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SGF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1267 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.77 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSGF 270052Z 31006KT 10SM BKN065 OVC085 11/0 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18208 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 27 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-Kansas City FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N71072 |
| NTSB Number | CHI05CA133 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aerostar |
| Aircraft Model | S-57A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | S57A-3180 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Balloon |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dallas L. Matney |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 871 Quarry Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sparta |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 65753 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVT |
| Departure City | Sparta |
| Departure State | MO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1840 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| 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 | Descent - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 21 2005 5:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |