History of Flight
On June 10, 2016, at approximately 2030 eastern daylight time, a Cameron Balloons US A-225 balloon, registration N69515, unintentionally lifted off after landing in a field in Nunda, New York. The balloon was conducting a sightseeing flight under 14 CFR Part 91 visual meteorological conditions, with no flight plan filed. The flight originated from Letchworth State Park, Castile, New York, about 1930.
The pilot reported a 45-minute flight with 10 passengers, with wind from the northwest at 3 to 5 mph. During descent, the pilot coordinated with the ground crew to land in a cut hay field. After touchdown, passengers disembarked one at a time while the balloon remained inflated, held down by four ground crew employees. Once passengers were clear, the ground crew began walking the inflated balloon toward a cart for deflation and disassembly. The pilot remained in the basket.
As the pilot bent to unclasp vent lines, he looked up and saw the balloon ascending toward a hedgerow. He operated the burners to clear trees and a transmission line. At about 150 to 200 feet above ground level (agl), he heard his name called, initially thinking it was from his radio. Hearing it again, he realized a ground crewmember was hanging from ground handling ropes attached to the basket's bottom sides. The pilot could not see the crewmember due to his position and the padded basket. He instructed the crewmember to hold on and that he would bring him down safely; the crewmember acknowledged. Moments later, at about 100 to 150 ft agl, the crewmember fell. The pilot radioed other crew to call 911 and landed about half a mile southwest of the original landing site, approximately 800 ft from where the crewmember fell.
An uninjured crewmember reported that after passenger egress, they moved the basket for about 10 seconds when the balloon suddenly lifted. As it became too high, all crew except one let go. Another uninjured crewmember stated they were taught to release if the balloon starts rising, but noticed one person still holding a bottom rope. Witnesses saw several ground crew and two additional passengers attempt to control the basket; when it lifted, everyone released except one individual, who grabbed loops at the basket's bottom and was carried aloft before falling.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 63, held a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air rating. He was not required to hold an FAA medical certificate. He reported 2,569 total flight hours, with 8 hours in the accident balloon make and model. In the previous 90 and 30 days, he had flown 14 and 10 hours, respectively. His most recent flight review was March 3, 2015. He completed the Great Eastern Balloon Association's (GEBA) 7-hour continuing education seminar on March 5, 2016, and had instructed at the 2015 seminar.
The ground crewmember, age 34, had several years' experience in hot air balloon operations and was hired by the pilot to train, recruit, schedule, and lead ground crews. He also attended the March 5, 2016 GEBA training. The pilot stated that ground crew were taught to release the balloon if their feet left the ground, and that the fatally injured crewmember had taught the same to others.
Aircraft Information
The balloon was a Cameron Balloons US A-225, manufactured in 2016, issued a standard airworthiness certificate on April 15, 2016. The pilot took possession on April 19, 2016, and first flew it on May 11, 2016. Total time on the balloon at the accident was 8 hours. Volume was 225,000 cubic feet. The rectangular basket was partitioned, with passenger capacity up to 16, equipped with dual burners. The basket had 16 rope handles along its bottom perimeter: three on each short side and five on each long side.
Meteorological Information
At 2054, weather at Dansville Municipal Airport (DSV), 12 statute miles west of the accident site, reported wind from 180° at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 16°C, dew point 7°C, and altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office determined the ground crewmember's cause of death as blunt impact injuries of the head, torso, and extremities. Toxicological testing by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory was negative for alcohol and common drugs of abuse.