Port Allen, LA, USA
N25360
Balloon Works Firefly 7B-15
After a routine flight, the pilot elected to land in a sugar cane field. Prior to landing, the pilot pulled the vent line to deflate the balloon. When the basket started to tip over onto its side, it dragged along the ground. The basket of the balloon "got hung up on a cane row for a few seconds" as the envelope continued forward for a few feet, pulling the pilot "up and in front of the basket." Subsequently, the basket "came loose" from the cane row and struck the pilots leg.
On May 11, 2002, at 0745 central daylight time, a Ballon Works Firefly 7B-15 hot-air balloon, N25360, was undamaged during a hard landing near Port Allen, Louisiana. The balloon was registered to and operated by the pilot. The private pilot was seriously injured, and the sole passenger of the balloon, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 0640. The 269-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that after a routine flight, she elected to land in a large sugar cane field. Prior to landing, she pulled the vent line to deflate the balloon. When the basket started to tip over onto its side, it dragged along the ground. The basket of the balloon "got hung up on a cane row for a few seconds" as the envelope continued forward for a few feet, pulling her "up and in front of the basket." Subsequently, when the basket "came loose" from the cane row, it and "hit her leg causing a break." The pilot further stated in the Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented) section of the NTSB Form 6120.1/2; "Not to land cross-way to rows in a sugar cane field. (Very deep rows)." At 0753, the weather observation facility at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan, Ryan Field Airport, located 7 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, reported the wind from 090 degrees at 5 knots.
The pilot's decision to land in the sugar cane field, which resulted in the pilot's unintentional exit from the basket. A contributing factor was the high vegetation in the field.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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