Medical emergency.

Attributes
ACN	316105
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tcy
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 1824
ASRS Report	316105
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	other

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 was taking off in empty field at airport about 100 yds away from aircraft #2 which was tied down on space X. Aircraft #1 ascended about 20 ft high, when one of our passenger was indicating she felt 'faint.' as an emergency, I helped her kneel down on the floor of the gondola. In the meantime, the envelope had cooled down a little so we settled to the ground about 4 ft away from the parked aircraft #2. The momentum dragged us into the left wing and damaged the flap. No one was around, too early, so when our flight was over, I reparked it to the terminal building and left a card for the owner of the plane. We have been in contact. I was so concerned about this lady. In the future we need to have another passenger help and I'll land the aircraft in a more suitable area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter likened the little old lady 'to a poodle' in temperament. The reporter admits that he should have added heat and flown the balloon instead of worrying about the passenger. The balloon's momentum skidded the basket into the aircraft's aileron causing $4000 damage. The passenger insisted on a medical check up which cost $350. The reporter paid both bills out of his pocket. He has heard nothing from the FAA on this matter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEDICAL EMER.

Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS TAKING OFF IN EMPTY FIELD AT ARPT ABOUT 100 YDS AWAY FROM ACFT #2 WHICH WAS TIED DOWN ON SPACE X. ACFT #1 ASCENDED ABOUT 20 FT HIGH, WHEN ONE OF OUR PAX WAS INDICATING SHE FELT 'FAINT.' AS AN EMER, I HELPED HER KNEEL DOWN ON THE FLOOR OF THE GONDOLA. IN THE MEANTIME, THE ENVELOPE HAD COOLED DOWN A LITTLE SO WE SETTLED TO THE GND ABOUT 4 FT AWAY FROM THE PARKED ACFT #2. THE MOMENTUM DRAGGED US INTO THE L WING AND DAMAGED THE FLAP. NO ONE WAS AROUND, TOO EARLY, SO WHEN OUR FLT WAS OVER, I REPARKED IT TO THE TERMINAL BUILDING AND LEFT A CARD FOR THE OWNER OF THE PLANE. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT. I WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THIS LADY. IN THE FUTURE WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER PAX HELP AND I'LL LAND THE ACFT IN A MORE SUITABLE AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR LIKENED THE LITTLE OLD LADY 'TO A POODLE' IN TEMPERAMENT. THE RPTR ADMITS THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ADDED HEAT AND FLOWN THE BALLOON INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THE PAX. THE BALLOON'S MOMENTUM SKIDDED THE BASKET INTO THE ACFT'S AILERON CAUSING $4000 DAMAGE. THE PAX INSISTED ON A MEDICAL CHK UP WHICH COST $350. THE RPTR PAID BOTH BILLS OUT OF HIS POCKET. HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA ON THIS MATTER.

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.