Arbc INC DBA Lindstrand 180A accident near Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin, August 4, 2012
On August 4, 2012 at about 1:40 am local time, a Arbc INC DBA Lindstrand 180A (balloon), registered N3013T, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin (Sauk Prairie airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control of the balloon during a landing in higher-than-expected wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2012 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin · Sauk Prairie · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Arbc INC DBA Lindstrand 180A
- Registration
- N3013T · registry record · serial 5453
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before the flight, the pilot obtained a proper weather briefing, and the wind for the area of the flight was forecast to be about 7 knots and decreasing during the flight. The pilot stated that the wind was initially out of the east about 6 knots, but during the flight it had increased to about 15 knots. The pilot said that after 1 hour and 45 minutes of flight he encountered wind shear. He attempted to descend and maneuver the balloon to seek lower wind, but the terrain was "hilly," which presented problems for landing due to wind "rotors" that could deform the balloon's envelope. According to the pilot, as the balloon moved toward a nearby airport, where he hoped to land, a wind shear pushed the balloon's envelope in. The pilot briefed the passengers before landing; however, the balloon's gondola hit tree tops during the descent and began to tip. The pilot then shut off the burners and opened the balloon's envelope vents to rapidly deflate the balloon, which would minimize the gondola being dragged after landing. During the landing, one of the passengers sustained a serious leg injury. Although the wind at the accident site could not be determined, one of the passengers reported that his hand-held GPS device indicated a ground speed of 15 mph just before touchdown. Landing in higher wind conditions in a balloon typically results in the gondola tipping over and dragging as the envelope deflates and is pulled by the wind.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 899 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 115 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Gentle Breezes Balloon Rides LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 91C Sauk Prairie WI at 1:20 am
- Destination: 91C Sauk Prairie WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N3013T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.