Pilot Debrief

ARBC INC DBA LINDSTRAND 120A near Grants Pass, OR — 2010-06-18

Final reportWPR10LA300
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Date
2010-06-18
Location
Grants Pass, OR, USA
Aircraft
ARBC INC DBA LINDSTRAND 120A
Registration
N501LB
Category
Balloon
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The balloon ground crew member's decision to not release his hold on the basket of an ascending hot air balloon basket as it lifted off of the ground.

NTSB narrative

During the post-landing, pre-deflation portion of a hot air balloon flight, the basket of the balloon began to lift off the ground when one of the individuals holding it released their grip on the top rim of the basket. At that point, the remaining three individuals holding the basket released their grip on the top rim of the basket and the balloon began to ascend. As the basket lifted higher into the air, one of the individuals who had released their grip on the basket top rim grabbed onto the rope handles near the base of the basket and was therefore lifted about 20 feet into the air. As soon as the pilot realized that someone was hanging from the bottom of the basket, he began venting air from the top of the balloon in order to get the basket back on the ground. But the individual hanging from the rope handles lost his grip and fell to grassy terrain below. The injured person had extensive experience acting as a balloon ground crew member and as a passenger in a balloon. He had no memory of the event, and it could not be determined why he grabbed onto the rope handles after releasing his grip from the basket rim.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Passengers should have been instructed to remain seated until the balloon was fully deflated.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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