Ultramagic SA T210 incident near Boulder, Colorado, June 8, 2013
On June 8, 2013 at about 2:54 pm local time, a Ultramagic SA T210, registered N201FW, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing near Boulder, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 10 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The balloon's encounter with unforecast strong gusting wind, which resulted in a high-wind landing. Contributing to the accident was the National Weather Service's misjudgment of the timing and underestimation of the magnitude of the frontal boundary moving across the region.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2013 · about 2:54 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 10 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ultramagic SA T210 NO SERIES · all T210s on the register
- Registration
- N201FW · registry record · serial 210/72
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he checked the weather forecast before takeoff and received a briefing from flight service. He and the other balloon pilots flying that day compared the weather information and determined that the weather was good enough to fly. About 45 minutes into the flight, at 3,000 feet above ground level, the pilot noticed that the other balloons flying nearby were "screaming up and down" and that, within 5 minutes, the wind, which had been carrying them easterly at 6 to 8 knots, shifted to the southwest at 30 knots or more. The balloon was getting bounced around, and the wind was not subsiding, so the pilot decided to immediately land the balloon. The pilot briefed the passengers for a high-wind landing and landed the balloon in a conservation area. The basket tipped over and was dragged for about 50 to 60 yards until a wind gust lifted the balloon about 5 feet above the ground. The pilot pulled in the top vent, which put the balloon back on the ground, and it finally stopped moving. A review of meteorological data available at the time of the preflight briefing indicated, in part, that wind from the west existed at 10 knots or less before takeoff. The National Weather Service (NWS) terminal area forecast expected easterly wind shifting to the northwest during the anticipated flight at 13 knots with wind from the north gusting to 23 knots after 1000 mountain daylight time. The NWS area forecast did not expect any high winds across Colorado. The NWS Aviation Forecast Center had no advisories current for low-level turbulence or high winds over Colorado surrounding the anticipated flight. However, shortly after takeoff a sudden increase in windspeed occurred across the region with wind gusts from 20 to 38 knots. The NWS misjudged the timing and underestimated the magnitude of the frontal boundary moving across the region. It is likely that, if the pilot had known about the gusting wind at the time of takeoff, he may not have chosen to fly that day.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Availability of related info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not specified
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › (general) › (general) › Meteorological service
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Timing of related info
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Accuracy of related info
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 230 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 19, 2012
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fair Winds INC
The flight
- Departed from: Gunbarrel CO at 1:15 pm
- Destination: Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KEIK, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 9 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN13IA349.