Accident Details
On June 29, 2018, about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Balony Kubicek SPOL SRO BB30Z hot air balloon, N717FN, tipped over after landing on a field near Ashland, Ohio. The commercial pilot on board sustained a fatal head injury. The student pilot and two passengers were not injured, and the balloon was not damaged. The balloon was registered to the pilot and was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed from a nearby field about 1945.
The early evening flight was part of a hot air balloon sponsor event for the Ashland, Ohio, Balloonfest. The commercial pilot was providing instruction to the student pilot. After about 15 minutes, the pilot took control of the balloon and elected to land quickly and return to the Balloonfest field to participate in the evening "balloon glow" event. After landing, the student pilot exited the basket to control the crown line in preparation for deflating the envelope, while the two passengers remained crouched down in the basket. As the pilot started to deflate the envelope, the wind increased, causing the envelope to concave and subsequently pull the balloon forward, tipping the basket over. As the basket tipped over, the pilot, who was standing in the basket, fell forward and hit his head on the dual burner assembly. The pilot became unconscious about 20 to 30 seconds later and was unresponsive when first responders arrived. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot, age 74, held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for lighter-than-air balloon. He did not hold a medical certificate. Under 14 CFR 61.233, commercial balloon pilots are allowed to provide flight instruction. Per 14 CFR 61.23(b), a medical certificate is not required when exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating in a balloon. At the time of the accident, the pilot had about 40 total flight hours in the accident balloon.
The balloon comprised a four-place basket and a 105,000-cubic-foot envelope balloon system, serial number 1117, manufactured in 2015. It was equipped with two standup 70-liter propane fuel tanks and an Ignis Plus dual burner capable of producing 18 million British thermal units of heat per hour. A review of the maintenance logbook showed that an annual inspection was completed on June 10, 2018, at a recorded time in service of 37.85 hours. The last entry in the logbook was made on the day of the accident and showed a total time in service of 40.0 hours.
Meteorological and Wreckage Information
At 1952, the weather conditions at Mansfield-Lahm Regional Airport (MFD), Mansfield, Ohio, 12 miles west-southwest of the accident scene, included wind from 170° at 9 knots, clear skies, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 84°F, dew point 70°F, and an altimeter setting of 30.07 inches of mercury.
Postaccident, the balloon was located in a field 2.3 miles north of where the flight originated. The balloon envelope was found deflated and resting on the ground. The basket, with the tanks and burner system intact, came to rest on its front side on the ground. The envelope was connected to the basket support cables at the carabiners. A postaccident examination of the balloon envelope, basket, fuel tanks, fuel lines, and the dual burner system by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no damage or anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office in Cleveland, Ohio, performed an autopsy of the pilot. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was blunt force impacts to the head and neck. The pilot had a history of medical conditions, including blood clots treated with warfarin, prostate cancer, high cholesterol, and blood pressure issues. He had recently been feeling unwell and occasionally had balance issues. The postaccident medical examination demonstrated significant cardiomegaly and evidence of pulmonary edema. Toxicology testing detected terazosin and warfarin in blood and liver; neither medication is considered impairing.