Head Balloons INC AX9 118 accident near Hanover, New Hampshire, September 1, 2010
On September 1, 2010 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Head Balloons INC AX9 118, registered N2267U, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing near Hanover, New Hampshire. It was a personal 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 balloon's encounter with an updraft, resulting in an immediate landing and an intentional collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2010 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Hanover, New Hampshire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Head Balloons INC AX9 118 · all AX9 118s on the register
- Registration
- N2267U · no longer on the register · serial 363
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was conducting a sightseeing flight just prior to sunset when the balloon encountered updrafts. He elected to land in the back yard of a private residence and initiated a descent. He allowed the basket of the balloon to contact the top of the trees to slow down his forward momentum, in an effort to make the landing area. Upon clearing the trees, he observed powerlines in the vicinity and aborted the landing. The pilot immediately selected another backyard for his touchdown point. He observed another large tree and allowed the basket to contact the tree and the basket descended upright next to the tree. The canopy received a minor tear and one passenger sustained a fractured wrist during the landing.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Updraft › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 953 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 953 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Quechee VT at 10:15 pm
- Destination: Quechee VT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LEB
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.
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.