Narrative:

I launched our hot air balloon from our usual launch site in apple valley, ca. The WX was clear and calm. The first flight of 2 passenger was normal. Had a calm landing. Changed out passenger. Briefed new passenger about flight procedures and landing. Climbed to 100 ft over next set of hills, still going east. That set of hills is approximately 1400 ft MSL at the top. Climbed to 3000 ft AGL. A ground crew member called on the radio that ground winds were picking up. I briefed the passenger on high wind lndgs again. The wind picked up to 20 mph approximately. I tried to make 2 lndgs before the last final touch down. On the last approach, we leveled off at approximately 18 ft above ground and actuated the top vent fully to release the hot air and deflate the envelope. We dragged 1200-1500 ft and were stopped by a chain link fence and a metal shed at XA00. Because of apparent scratches and bruises on the passenger and pilot and a crew member stepped on a nail, 911 was called and the paramedics came and checked out the passenger and the ground crew person's foot. I packed up the balloon and passenger quickly. I gave the land owner my name and phone number. All crew and passenger traveled back to the launch field. I insisted the passenger go to the emergency room to be checked out, so I rode along with them to hospital to find out that there would be a 2-3 hour wait. The passenger said they'd rather not wait. They'd go to their own doctor if need be. Flight conditions were normal and ambient temperature was 37-55 degree F. Envelope temperature range was 140-180 degrees. The cause of the problem was an act of nature that could not be controled or prevented.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT INJURED SOME OF HIS PAX ON A HIGH WIND LNDG.

Narrative: I LAUNCHED OUR HOT AIR BALLOON FROM OUR USUAL LAUNCH SITE IN APPLE VALLEY, CA. THE WX WAS CLR AND CALM. THE FIRST FLT OF 2 PAX WAS NORMAL. HAD A CALM LNDG. CHANGED OUT PAX. BRIEFED NEW PAX ABOUT FLT PROCS AND LNDG. CLBED TO 100 FT OVER NEXT SET OF HILLS, STILL GOING E. THAT SET OF HILLS IS APPROX 1400 FT MSL AT THE TOP. CLBED TO 3000 FT AGL. A GND CREW MEMBER CALLED ON THE RADIO THAT GND WINDS WERE PICKING UP. I BRIEFED THE PAX ON HIGH WIND LNDGS AGAIN. THE WIND PICKED UP TO 20 MPH APPROX. I TRIED TO MAKE 2 LNDGS BEFORE THE LAST FINAL TOUCH DOWN. ON THE LAST APCH, WE LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 18 FT ABOVE GND AND ACTUATED THE TOP VENT FULLY TO RELEASE THE HOT AIR AND DEFLATE THE ENVELOPE. WE DRAGGED 1200-1500 FT AND WERE STOPPED BY A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND A METAL SHED AT XA00. BECAUSE OF APPARENT SCRATCHES AND BRUISES ON THE PAX AND PLT AND A CREW MEMBER STEPPED ON A NAIL, 911 WAS CALLED AND THE PARAMEDICS CAME AND CHKED OUT THE PAX AND THE GND CREW PERSON'S FOOT. I PACKED UP THE BALLOON AND PAX QUICKLY. I GAVE THE LAND OWNER MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER. ALL CREW AND PAX TRAVELED BACK TO THE LAUNCH FIELD. I INSISTED THE PAX GO TO THE EMER ROOM TO BE CHKED OUT, SO I RODE ALONG WITH THEM TO HOSPITAL TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WOULD BE A 2-3 HR WAIT. THE PAX SAID THEY'D RATHER NOT WAIT. THEY'D GO TO THEIR OWN DOCTOR IF NEED BE. FLT CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL AND AMBIENT TEMP WAS 37-55 DEG F. ENVELOPE TEMP RANGE WAS 140-180 DEGS. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS AN ACT OF NATURE THAT COULD NOT BE CTLED OR PREVENTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.