National Ballooning 858 N9005E

Summary

On 17 June 2012 at about 12:15 local time, a National Ballooning 858 registered N9005E, operated by Wayne A Mohring, was involved in an accident near Pierce, Nebraska, United States. 3 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

17 June 2012 at 12:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Pierce, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

42.2028, -97.3922

Aircraft

National Ballooning 858

Registration

N9005E

Category

Balloon

Operator

Wayne A Mohring

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Race/Show

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Norfolk → Pierce

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

CEN12CA393

1 person was seriously injured.

The balloon pilot’s encounter with increased wind during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and a passenger’s injury.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was participating with about eight other balloons in an early morning mass ascension. After about 45 minutes of flight, the pilot observed that the wind had increased and determined that a “high-wind landing” would be necessary. His two passengers had not experienced a balloon flight before, and the pilot instructed them that they should hold on tightly and face forward, with their feet pointed straight ahead and their knees bent to absorb the shock of the landing. He also advised them that the basket would likely tip over during the landing. The balloon initially touched down hard in a flat, harvested field, then bounced and touched down a second time. The pilot reported his ground speed was about 13 to 14 mph. During the second touchdown the basket tipped over and was dragged about 100 feet, coming to rest on its side in an adjacent cornfield. The pilot deflated the balloon envelope and the three occupants began to climb out of the basket. The 70-year old passenger was seriously injured during the landing. The balloon was not damaged. The pilot said that he thought the passenger’s injury occurred because she did not have her feet pointed straight ahead during the landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.