Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Phoenix, Arizona 85027
Monday, March 15, 2010 18:07 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the pilot’s preflight examination of the balloon, she was required to verify that the rapid deflation system actuation lines were free of knots and that the system functioned normally. The pilot failed to observe that one of the actuation lines was knotted and, therefore, improperly rigged. Although a 5-knot wind was forecasted for the vicinity in which the balloon flight was to be performed, minutes after takeoff the pilot observed that the wind speed increased. A witness in another balloon reported that the local wind speed was 12 knots. The pilot terminated the planned hour-long flight early, briefed the passengers that they would be landing in a high wind condition, and directed that they assume a prearranged stance in the basket. As expected, the landing touchdown was hard, and the balloon recoiled into the air. When the basket touched down again, it tipped over as the envelope was blown downwind. The pilot was not able to effectively utilize the balloon’s rapid deflation system because the knotted actuation line impeded her ability to expediently vent hot air from the envelope during the high-wind landing. The basket dragged nearly 360 feet over rough terrain until finally impacting a gate. During this period, the pilot was ejected from and overrun by the basket, which resulted in her serious injury. The five passengers remained inside the basket, and three sustained minor injuries. The pilot’s failure to ensure the proper rigging and functionality of the balloon’s deflation system led to her inability to activate it and extended deflation time and subsequent drag distance.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s improper preflight inspection of the balloon’s rapid deflation system, which resulted in its inhibited functionality during landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/15/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1807 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Phoenix |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85027 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 334545N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1120641W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DVT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1478 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.17 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 4 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29538 |
| NTSB Notification Source | WP FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 16 2012 9:19AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3087D |
| NTSB Number | WPR10LA161 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HEAD BALLOONS INC |
| Aircraft Model | AX9 118 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 287 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1650 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 14 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 311 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | REGISTRATION PENDING |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | CAVE CREEK |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85331-2335 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | John Benson |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | CAVE CREEK |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85331-2335 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Phoenix |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1728 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Phoenix |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 5 2012 1:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |