2 passenger were injured when a hot air balloon landed hard in a cemetery and dragged into a tree.

Attributes
ACN	340656
Time
Date	199607
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orh
State Reference	MA
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	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 : 8 flight time total : 490 flight time type : 490
ASRS Report	340656
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on a pleasure flight, I noticed the tree tops were starting to show some movement. I informed the passenger we were going to land. We proceeded to a cemetery where we had a good line on a grassy field without obstacles. The wind was 3-5 mph when we approached it and then the wind went to 10-12 mph with no warning. We were slammed into the ground and dragged about 250 ft through some head stones and rested against a tree. While dragging, I had engaged the deflation panel to help stop the balloon. 1 passenger had a gash on her left arm that required stitches and 1 passenger said that she felt dizzy. Both passenger were treated and released within 24 hours.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 PAX WERE INJURED WHEN A HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED HARD IN A CEMETERY AND DRAGGED INTO A TREE.

Narrative: WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLT, I NOTICED THE TREE TOPS WERE STARTING TO SHOW SOME MOVEMENT. I INFORMED THE PAX WE WERE GOING TO LAND. WE PROCEEDED TO A CEMETERY WHERE WE HAD A GOOD LINE ON A GRASSY FIELD WITHOUT OBSTACLES. THE WIND WAS 3-5 MPH WHEN WE APCHED IT AND THEN THE WIND WENT TO 10-12 MPH WITH NO WARNING. WE WERE SLAMMED INTO THE GND AND DRAGGED ABOUT 250 FT THROUGH SOME HEAD STONES AND RESTED AGAINST A TREE. WHILE DRAGGING, I HAD ENGAGED THE DEFLATION PANEL TO HELP STOP THE BALLOON. 1 PAX HAD A GASH ON HER L ARM THAT REQUIRED STITCHES AND 1 PAX SAID THAT SHE FELT DIZZY. BOTH PAX WERE TREATED AND RELEASED WITHIN 24 HRS.

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.