Ultramagic Sa N-210 N1958S

Summary

On 14 July 2023 at about 12:50 local time, a Ultramagic Sa N-210 registered N1958S was involved in an accident near Erie, Colorado, United States. 7 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 July 2023 at 12:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Erie, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.0100, -105.0200

Aircraft

Ultramagic Sa N-210

Registration

N1958S

Category

Balloon

Year built

2021

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Race/Show

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Erie → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA325

2 people were seriously injured.

A hard landing due to the high wind conditions which resulted in two passengers sustaining serious injuries.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while conducting a sightseeing flight, the surface wind increased earlier than forecast. He decided to terminate the flight and make a high wind landing. He briefed his passengers that they were going to land quicky and drag to a stop. He reminded them to stay in the basket and hold on. The balloon skipped twice after contacting the ground and then dragged to a stop. One of the passengers was ejected and her hair was caught under the basket. She sustained minor injuries. Two other passengers remained in the basket but sustained serious injurious. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the remaining three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather brief, and the weather forecast reported a front to pass around 0800. A terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) for Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC) about 7 miles southwest of Erie, Colorado, forecast wind to be out of the northwest at 7 knots at 0300 and then shift to wind out of the northeast at 12 knots around 0800. When the pilot launched the balloon in Erie at 0638, the wind was calm. About half an hour after launch, reported surface wind in Erie was out of the northeast at 5 knots gusting 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.