Accident Details
On June 18, 2010, at approximately 0820 Pacific daylight time, an individual fell from the exterior of the basket of a Lindstrand 120A hot air balloon, registration N501LB. The individual sustained serious injuries upon impacting the grassy terrain of an elementary school playground in Grants Pass, Oregon. The pilot, who was the sole occupant inside the basket, was not injured. The balloon, owned and operated by the pilot, was not damaged. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and had departed from a city park in Grants Pass about 90 minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, after landing in a grassy area of an empty elementary school playground, three of the four passengers were instructed to climb out of the basket and keep their weight on the top rim while the still-inflated balloon was moved along the ground to the deflation location. Once at that location, the last passenger was instructed to exit but to continue applying weight on the top rim. Soon after, the basket shifted when one of the individuals holding it adjusted their weight. One individual, interpreting the shift as a lift-off, released their hold on the basket, as all participants had been briefed to let go if the basket began to lift off. With that person's weight removed, the balloon began to ascend, and the remaining three individuals released their grip on the top rim. However, as the balloon continued to ascend, one of those individuals grabbed onto rope handles near the base of the basket and was lifted into the air.
Response
The pilot initially did not realize someone was hanging from the basket. Upon hearing others yelling for that individual to let go, he became aware and immediately began venting air from the top of the balloon to bring it down rapidly. Before the basket could return to the ground, the individual lost their grip and fell approximately 20 feet.
Passenger Background
The individual who fell had no memory of the event. According to the pilot, this person had worked as part of the ground crew and taken occasional flights with him for over 20 years. The pilot stated that the individual had long-term familiarity with the rule of not holding onto the basket once it begins to ascend. It could not be determined why the individual grabbed the handles at the base of the basket after releasing from the rim.