Aerostar International S57A accident near Hilliard, Ohio, May 15, 2010
On May 15, 2010 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Aerostar International S57A (balloon), registered N9002Z, was involved in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hilliard, Ohio (Balloon Landing Area airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passenger’s inadequate brace for the balloon landing, resulting in injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2010 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hilliard, Ohio · Balloon Landing Area · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International S57A NO SERIES
- Registration
- N9002Z · registry record · serial S57A-3133
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a 50-minute, late afternoon balloon flight, the pilot executed a normal touchdown onto a flat grassy area. A weather station 8 miles to the northeast reported the surface wind was five miles per hour at the time of the accident. All of the occupants were facing forward for the touchdown and the pilot had previously instructed both passengers how to hold on to two points and how to flex their knees for the first impact of landing. At the first impact with the ground, the 82 year old female passenger sank to the floor of the balloon basket. It was immediately apparent to the other passenger that she had been injured. After the basket stopped moving, the pilot deflated the balloon and the pilot, the other passenger, and a bystander assisted the injured passenger in exiting. The injured passenger was transported to the hospital and treated for a broken leg. The other occupants were not injured and the balloon was not damaged. The uninjured passenger said the pre-takeoff safety briefing and the before landing safety briefing were simple and clearly understood.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Cabin safety event during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Physical characteristic › Size › Passenger
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Physical characteristic › Strength › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 771 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 14, 2009
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2009
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: T F Hampton Ventures Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Dublin OH
- Destination: Hilliard OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from OSU, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10CA257.