Accident Details
A balloon pilot reported that, during an air race, she identified a landing area with dirt roads. She initiated a gradual descent, but as the balloon neared the surface, the winds were in the 20+ miles per hour range. The balloon landed hard and bounced. The pilot instructed the passenger to get lower in the basket, regained control, and attempted another landing.
During the second landing, the pilot stated that she pulled the red line to let hot air out of the envelope but was dragged across the ground. As a result, the pilot was ejected from the basket while the passenger remained in the balloon. A crew member on the ground instructed the passenger to pull the red line again. The balloon landed hard, and the passenger was ejected. The basket was destroyed in a postaccident fire.
Pilot's Report
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added as a safety recommendation to conduct an additional preflight briefing for the passenger.
Weather Conditions
The automated weather observation station, located 6 miles to the south, reported that about 31 minutes before the accident, the wind was variable at 3 knots.