Hot air balloon encountered downdraft in landing area and made hard landing. 1 passenger injured.

Attributes
ACN	105072
Time
Date	198902
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : apc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 2758
ASRS Report	105072
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At XA00 oak FSS was contacted for WX update. North# was reported and winds were light. At approximately XB15 winds at launch area (yountville, ca) were 2-3 KT out of the north. In napa (9 mi south yountville) winds were calm. At approximately XD15 a second commercial pilot was called who lived in napa (the intended landing area). Winds were reported as still calm. At approximately XD30 a third commercial pilot arrived. The winds were checked and the launch was concluded. The flight moved down into north napa. Wind was increasing. Approach into the west salvador field was initiated. Passenger were briefed and ground crew as radioed. Approach was over tall pines north of the field. On the downwind side of the trees the balloon, rather than slowing down, accelerated. Heat was applied to reduce impact, but was not sufficient to retard downward effect of apparent rotor. Impact was hard and drag was 10-15 yds. All natural obstacles were avoided. 1 passenger received a cut above the left eye and a cracked rib. No damage to aircraft. Pilot and aircraft were both current at time of incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOT AIR BALLOON ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFT IN LNDG AREA AND MADE HARD LNDG. 1 PASSENGER INJURED.

Narrative: AT XA00 OAK FSS WAS CONTACTED FOR WX UPDATE. N# WAS RPTED AND WINDS WERE LIGHT. AT APPROX XB15 WINDS AT LAUNCH AREA (YOUNTVILLE, CA) WERE 2-3 KT OUT OF THE N. IN NAPA (9 MI S YOUNTVILLE) WINDS WERE CALM. AT APPROX XD15 A SECOND COMMERCIAL PLT WAS CALLED WHO LIVED IN NAPA (THE INTENDED LNDG AREA). WINDS WERE RPTED AS STILL CALM. AT APPROX XD30 A THIRD COMMERCIAL PLT ARRIVED. THE WINDS WERE CHKED AND THE LAUNCH WAS CONCLUDED. THE FLT MOVED DOWN INTO N NAPA. WIND WAS INCREASING. APCH INTO THE W SALVADOR FIELD WAS INITIATED. PAX WERE BRIEFED AND GND CREW AS RADIOED. APCH WAS OVER TALL PINES N OF THE FIELD. ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF THE TREES THE BALLOON, RATHER THAN SLOWING DOWN, ACCELERATED. HEAT WAS APPLIED TO REDUCE IMPACT, BUT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO RETARD DOWNWARD EFFECT OF APPARENT ROTOR. IMPACT WAS HARD AND DRAG WAS 10-15 YDS. ALL NATURAL OBSTACLES WERE AVOIDED. 1 PAX RECEIVED A CUT ABOVE THE LEFT EYE AND A CRACKED RIB. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. PLT AND ACFT WERE BOTH CURRENT AT TIME OF INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.