What happened
During a sightseeing flight, the pilot attempted to land a hot air balloon. Upon the initial touchdown, an increase in wind velocity caused the balloon to become airborne again. The aircraft traveled approximately 30 feet before experiencing a hard landing.
Of the ten passengers on board, one sustained a broken leg, while the remaining passengers were not injured. There was no damage reported to the balloon following the event.
Findings
- The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the impact that would have prevented normal operation.
- The incident was caused by an encounter with high wind during the landing phase.