Hard landing in high winds.

Attributes
ACN	297000
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nkx
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sav
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	297000
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

WX report obtained was way off base. Estimated winds of 4 KTS were 30 KTS at landing. Pilot had a heavy load due to a miscalculation of kilos to pounds while flying a great britain based balloon. Suggest that manufacturer place both kilos and pounds in the manual when they know the system will be flown in united states. Landing was not affected by heavy weight, and in fact, helped slow balloon's drag, but review of the manual alerted pilot to miscalculation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies a thunder/colt 240,000 cubic ft balloon in the ride business carrying 12 or more passenger. He converted kilos to pounds using 2.6 vice 2.2. He has since found that the manufacturer has upgraded the maximum gross weight to 4277 pounds, so he was under the maximum gross weight by accident. He has suggested to the factory that they publish the correct conversion factor in their manual as well as a weight table both in pounds and kilos.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HARD LNDG IN HIGH WINDS.

Narrative: WX RPT OBTAINED WAS WAY OFF BASE. ESTIMATED WINDS OF 4 KTS WERE 30 KTS AT LNDG. PLT HAD A HVY LOAD DUE TO A MISCALCULATION OF KILOS TO LBS WHILE FLYING A GREAT BRITAIN BASED BALLOON. SUGGEST THAT MANUFACTURER PLACE BOTH KILOS AND LBS IN THE MANUAL WHEN THEY KNOW THE SYS WILL BE FLOWN IN UNITED STATES. LNDG WAS NOT AFFECTED BY HVY WT, AND IN FACT, HELPED SLOW BALLOON'S DRAG, BUT REVIEW OF THE MANUAL ALERTED PLT TO MISCALCULATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES A THUNDER/COLT 240,000 CUBIC FT BALLOON IN THE RIDE BUSINESS CARRYING 12 OR MORE PAX. HE CONVERTED KILOS TO LBS USING 2.6 VICE 2.2. HE HAS SINCE FOUND THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS UPGRADED THE MAX GROSS WT TO 4277 LBS, SO HE WAS UNDER THE MAX GROSS WT BY ACCIDENT. HE HAS SUGGESTED TO THE FACTORY THAT THEY PUBLISH THE CORRECT CONVERSION FACTOR IN THEIR MANUAL AS WELL AS A WT TABLE BOTH IN LBS AND KILOS.

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.