Ultramagic M-105 N30018

Summary

On 8 June 2013 at about 13:50 local time, a Ultramagic M-105 registered N30018, operated by Vande Hoef Edward L, was involved in an incident near Louisville, Colorado, United States. 6 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 June 2013 at 13:50

Classification

Incident

Location

Louisville, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.9711, -105.1744

Aircraft

Ultramagic M-105

Registration

N30018

Category

Balloon

Operator

Vande Hoef Edward L

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gunbarrel → Louisville

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13IA350

1 person had minor injuries.

The balloon's encounter with unforecast strong gusting wind, which resulted in a high-wind landing. Contributing to the accident was the National Weather Service's misjudgment of the timing and underestimation of the magnitude of the frontal boundary moving across the region.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he received the same weather forecast that other pilots flying that day had received and that the weather was "nice." About 30 minutes into the flight, the wind began to increase, so he briefed the passengers for a high-wind landing. As the balloon got closer to the surface, the wind started moving the balloon south, then southeast. The pilot landed the balloon in a field on the north side of a highway. The pilot reported that, during the landing, the balloon was accelerating, so he leveled off about 10 feet above the ground and then opened up the top of the envelope. The balloon solidly hit the ground and was dragged for about 100 feet before stopping. A review of meteorological data available at the time of the preflight briefing indicated, in part, that wind from the west existed at 10 knots or less before takeoff. The National Weather Service (NWS) terminal area forecast expected easterly wind shifting to the northwest during the anticipated flight at 13 knots with wind from the north gusting to 23 knots after 1000 mountain daylight time. The NWS area forecast did not expect any high winds across Colorado. The NWS Aviation Forecast Center had no advisories current for low-level turbulence or high winds over Colorado surrounding the anticipated flight. However, shortly after takeoff a sudden increase in windspeed occurred across the region with wind gusts from 20 to 38 knots. The NWS misjudged the timing and underestimated the magnitude of the frontal boundary moving across the region. It is likely that, if the pilot had known about the gusting wind at the time of takeoff, he may not have chosen to fly that day.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.