Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 8, 2013 at 0815 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar International Incorporated RX-8 hot air balloon, N7059U, impacted terrain and dragged across a road during a high wind landing near Arvada, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot was seriously injured and the two passengers on board were not injured. The balloon sustained substantial damage to the envelope and basket. The balloon was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Gunbarrel, Colorado, about 0705.

The pilot stated that he and a number of other balloon pilots gathered at the launch site about 0530 to discuss weather information obtained from the internet and various other sources. The pilots agreed that the forecast weather provided suitable conditions for a safe flight that morning. The weather conditions at the time of their discussion, however, caused them to delay their launch. They were experiencing light and erratic winds at ground level and after putting up some pibals (small helium-filled balloon used to determine wind speed and direction), saw that the wind conditions would take them in an undesirable direction at an undesirable speed. The pilot said that these conditions were quite typical for flying in the area at the early hours of the day. The pilot said they continued monitoring the current and forecast weather using their wireless devices to monitor the internet sites. At 0615, the wind at the launch site calmed and additional pibals put up showed the wind at altitude would take the balloons to the east-southeast, and then south at about 3 to 5 miles per hour. The pilots decided that they would fly as long as there was no further increase in wind speed during the launch. The pilot said the passengers got into the balloon, he gave them a safety briefing, and they took off at 0705. At takeoff the wind was calm to about 3 miles per hour. They traveled to the east-southeast and then at about 1,000 to 1,200 feet agl made a turn toward the south. The pilot said that the first 30 to 40 minutes of flight were smooth and the balloon traveled slowly to the southeast. At about 0740, the pilot said he experienced a wind gust that buffeted the balloon. He was at an altitude of 6,200 feet msl. He said he reported the condition to the other pilots who were flying in the area, and received reports back that they were experiencing similar conditions at various altitudes. As he looked at the other balloons, the pilot noticed significant distortions in the envelopes (indicative of high winds). The pilot said he prepared his passengers for a high wind landing. He selected a landing site that he described as a construction area cleared of machinery and survey stakes. As he touched down, he pulled the deflation lines to deflate the balloon. The balloon defla