Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chester Springs, Pennsylvania 19425
Sunday, April 21, 2013 7:35 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During an approximate 1-hour balloon flight, the wind increased as the pilot was preparing to land. The pilot preferred to land on asphalt, but missed several landing spots due to the wind and elected to land on the mowed lawn of a residence. Just prior to landing, the pilot instructed the passengers how to brace themselves and added that the landing was going to be rough due to the wind. The balloon subsequently contacted trees just prior to touchdown. As the balloon touched down on the lawn, the gondola tipped on its side and passengers were jostled about and out of the gondola. During which, one of the passengers or the pilot likely inadvertently contacted the burner switch, which caused a propane flash and burned three of the ten passengers.
When asked about why the pilot flames on the burners were still on during the landing, the pilot replied that the pilot flame is usually extinguished on smaller balloons prior to landing. Larger balloons, such as the accident balloon, have three burners and it takes some time to extinguish the pilot flames as it is not just a matter of moving a switch. Review of a flight manual for the accident balloon make and model revealed that the normal procedures for approaching to land, instructed the pilot to shut off the pilot light connection just before touchdown in high winds. Review of the flight manual emergency procedures for preparation for a hard landing, instructed the pilot to extinguish the pilot flames by closing the pilot light valves at the burners or by disconnecting the vapor hose quick disconnects at the tanks.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to extinguish the burner pilot lights prior to a hard landing in windy conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/21/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 735 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Chester Springs |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19425 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400547N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0753917W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | 754 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 30 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PTW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 308 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.56 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 3 |
| Injury Total All | 10 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31925 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Passenger |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2013 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N65625 |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA212 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CAMERON BALLOONS US |
| Aircraft Model | Z-225 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6630 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2795 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 22 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 141 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Morning Star Visions |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Smoketown |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 17576 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | U.S. Hot Air Balloon Team |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Pottstown |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19464 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | N47 |
| Departure City | Pottstown |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 635 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | N47 |
| Destination City | Pottstown |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2013 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |