A hard landing in a hot air balloon led to a passenger ejection.

Attributes
ACN	317025
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : f69
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 975 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	317025
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was setting up my approach for landing from an altitude of approximately 1000 ft. After verifying the balloon to start my descent, I noticed my pressure was down on the fuel tank I was using. By the time I switched to my next tank of fuel, I had developed too rapid of a descent to pull out of. After preparing my 2 passenger for a rough landing, we hit the ground. Upon impact, one of my two passenger bounced out of the basket in the path of the balloon. After losing the weight of 1 passenger, the balloon then became airborne once again. I had to regain control of the balloon and safely land it at an alternate site. The passenger was treated and released for minor cuts and bruises (no damage or other injuries).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HARD LNDG IN A HOT AIR BALLOON LED TO A PAX EJECTION.

Narrative: I WAS SETTING UP MY APCH FOR LNDG FROM AN ALT OF APPROX 1000 FT. AFTER VERIFYING THE BALLOON TO START MY DSCNT, I NOTICED MY PRESSURE WAS DOWN ON THE FUEL TANK I WAS USING. BY THE TIME I SWITCHED TO MY NEXT TANK OF FUEL, I HAD DEVELOPED TOO RAPID OF A DSCNT TO PULL OUT OF. AFTER PREPARING MY 2 PAX FOR A ROUGH LNDG, WE HIT THE GND. UPON IMPACT, ONE OF MY TWO PAX BOUNCED OUT OF THE BASKET IN THE PATH OF THE BALLOON. AFTER LOSING THE WT OF 1 PAX, THE BALLOON THEN BECAME AIRBORNE ONCE AGAIN. I HAD TO REGAIN CTL OF THE BALLOON AND SAFELY LAND IT AT AN ALTERNATE SITE. THE PAX WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FOR MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES (NO DAMAGE OR OTHER INJURIES).

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.