Aerostar S81A N11BQ

Summary

On 23 July 2003 at about 11:32 local time, a Aerostar S81A registered N11BQ was involved in an accident near Highland, Michigan, United States. 12 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 8 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 2003 at 11:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Highland, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.6667, -83.6167

Aircraft

Aerostar S81A

Registration

N11BQ

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fenton → Highland

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI03LA224

2 people were seriously injured.

Failure of the pilot to maintain a proper descent rate. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees, the reported high winds and gusts, the trees, the power lines and the house.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two passengers of the sightseeing balloon flight sustained serious injuries during a hard landing. A total of eleven passengers were on-board. Seven of the passengers, as well as the pilot, reported minor injuries. The remaining two passengers reported no injuries. The balloon was undamaged. The pilot reported surface winds at departure were light. However, during flight at 2,500 feet mean sea level, the winds were in excess of 30 knots, according to the pilot. He reported descending to where more moderate winds were encountered. The pilot stated that about 30 minutes into the flight, however, lower level winds started to increase. He stated he had selected a field and was approaching to land when the winds "increased rapidly" and the trees "began to move violently." Power lines and a house were reportedly located at the opposite end of the landing field. For this reason, the pilot reported that he felt he needed to land immediately considering the reported high winds and gusts and the presence of the power lines and house. Passengers stated the balloon basket clipped a tree on approach. The balloon impacted the ground and was dragged about 170 feet, ejecting one passenger in the process. The balloon was undamaged. The pilot reported no malfunctions with the balloon prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.