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CEN10CA543

2010-09-12 · Ft. Wayne, Indiana, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N2064W

Make / Model
HEAD BALLOONS INC AX8-88
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1AB46

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for the landing.

Factual narrative

The balloon was airborne for approximately 30 minutes prior to the pilot setting up for a landing in a grassy area alongside a road. The pilot reported the ground crew informed him that there was a ditch running parallel to the side of the road. However, the pilot reported he did not know the depth of the ditch. The local winds were 6 to 7 miles per hour at the time of the landing. The pilot reported he briefed the passengers for the landing. The balloon touched down in a bean field, about 20 feet from the grass area, and the ground crew grabbed the basket as it moved into the grass. The ground crew was not able to stop the basket and it traveled into the 10-foot deep ditch. The balloon came to rest at the bottom of the ditch with the ground crew still hanging on. One of the two passengers on board suffered a fractured leg. The injured passenger stated that she thought that either the other passenger or the pilot hit her leg during the landing. There was no damage to the balloon envelope or basket. The balloon was airborne for approximately 30 minutes prior to the pilot setting up for a landing in a grassy area alongside a road. The pilot reported that the ground crew informed him that there was a ditch running parallel to the side of the road. The balloon touched down in a bean field, about 20 feet from the grass area, and the ground crew grabbed the basket as it moved into the grass. The ground crew was not able to stop the basket and it traveled into the 10-foot deep ditch. The balloon came to rest at the bottom of the ditch with the ground crew still hanging on. One of the two passengers on board suffered a fractured leg. The injured passenger stated that she thought that either the other passenger or the pilot hit her leg during the landing. There was no damage to the balloon envelope or basket. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Sloped/uneven-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_CEN10CA543.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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