ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 239074
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| Date: | Monday 3 August 2020 |
| Time: | 08:13 LT |
| Type: |  Cameron A-315 |
| Owner/operator: | Wyoming Balloon Co |
| Registration: | N12171 |
| MSN: | 6453 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2006 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 461 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 19 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Teton County, Jackson Hole, WY -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The balloon pilot reported that while on final approach to land, about 20 ft above the ground, he saw two balloons he was following, both on their final approaches, suddenly reverse direction, by a strong wind from the southwest. Shortly after, the accident balloon lifted about 50 ft above the ground, followed by a downdraft. The pilot maneuvered the balloon to land and activated both burners to cushion the landing. When the descent rate was less than 500 ft per minute, he deactivated the burners and shouted to the passengers to 'hold on' and pulled the quick vent deflate line before touchdown. The balloon landed hard, skidded on its side about 300 ft, and came to rest against an irrigation ditch embankment. The balloon sustained substantial damage to the envelope and a passenger sustained a serious injury.
The balloon pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures to the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
A weather study revealed that the weather encountered by the balloon flight was not forecasted.
Probable Cause: The balloon pilot's inability to maintain the proper descent rate during the balloon's approach to landing during un-forecasted weather, which resulted in a hard landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR20CA267
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Aug-2020 15:10 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 24-Mar-2022 07:47 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 08-Jul-2022 05:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Registration, Operator, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Nature, Source, Narrative, Plane category, Accident report] |
| 08-Jul-2022 05:25 | harro | Updated [Total occupants, Nature, Damage, Narrative, Plane category] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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