Aerostar S81A N5316Q

Summary

On 2 August 2012 at about 13:45 local time, a Aerostar S81A registered N5316Q, operated by Marketing Services Inc of Pueblo, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. 12 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

2 August 2012 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

38.8000, -104.6500

Aircraft

Aerostar S81A

Registration

N5316Q

Category

Balloon

Operator

Marketing Services Inc of Pueblo

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Springs → Colorado Springs

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA511

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's encounter with an unexpected shift of wind direction and velocity, which resulted in a hard landing and passenger injury.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

At the conclusion of a hot air balloon sightseeing flight, the pilot initiated an approach to a standard company landing field. During the approach, the wind unexpectedly shifted from 330 degrees at 8 knots to 110 degrees at up to 18 knots. As the easterly winds decreased to about 12 knots, the pilot elected to continue the approach into an unplanned landing area and told the passengers to prepare for a high-wind landing by bending their knees and holding on to the rope handles tightly. According to the pilot, the balloon landed hard, traveling about 12 knots groundspeed in an open area with uneven terrain. One of the 11 passengers sustained a fractured ankle. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.