Ultramagic N-250 N35EX

Summary

On 13 April 2008 at about 14:30 local time, a Ultramagic N-250 registered N35EX, operated by Hot Air Expeditions, was involved in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona, United States. 11 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 April 2008 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Buckeye, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.4975, -112.5108

Aircraft

Ultramagic N-250

Registration

N35EX

Category

Balloon

Operator

Hot Air Expeditions

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Buckeye → Buckeye

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08CA112

1 person was seriously injured.

The passenger's failure to hear and follow the pilot's instructions to get down in the bottom of the balloon basket before the high wind landing. A contributing factor was the high wind condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that prior to departing for the sightseeing flight in the balloon, he gave the 10 passengers a safety briefing. The briefing included instructions on hard landings, which were to hang onto a handle and stay low in the basket. During the flight, the winds increased, and the pilot estimated there was an 18- to 20-mph wind blowing for the landing. Prior to landing, he warned the passengers it would be a "hard rough landing." When the balloon was on final approach, he told the passengers to "grab handles, get down, get way down, stay down." The balloon contacted the ground and was dragged 50 to 70 yards. During the ground drag, the pilot heard one of the passengers yell out that her nose was broken. She had bumped her face on the rail getting down. Additionally, she sustained a broken wrist. Later, the passenger told the pilot that she had "wanted to look, and did not get down in time." The injured passenger reported that before takeoff, the pilot told the passengers, "if I tell you it's going to be rough, get down in the bottom of the basket." The passenger did not recall whether the pilot told the passengers it was going to be rough before the landing. It was a rough landing, and her son, who was also a passenger, pulled her into the bottom of the basket.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.