DURING A PRE-FLT BREIFING, THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 280 DEG AT 6 TO 12 KTS. AT LAUNCH TIME, THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT 7 KTS. HE TOOK OFF AT 0720 CDT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY & CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. APRX 1 HR AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PLT TRIED TO LAND, BUT REPORTED AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE & WIND SHEAR INDICATING THE WIND HAD INCREASED. HE DECIDED TO FLY TO WHERE THE TERRAIN WAS 'BROKEN' & HE COULD 'EXPECT A BETTER WINDBREAK.' AT ABOUT 10 FT AGL, HE 'RIPPED OUT.' THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE GROUND & DRAGGED APRX 100 YDS, CAME TO A BRIEF STOP, & BLEW ANOTHER 10 TO 15 FT. AT THAT POINT, ONE PASSENGER FELL OUT OF THE BASKET. THE BASKET WAS BLOWN OVER HER & BROKE HER ARM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE HAD PROPERLY BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS ON THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES FOR THE PREVAILING WIND.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..UNFAVORABLE WIND

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..WINDSHEAR

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..TURBULENCE

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..ROUGH/UNEVEN

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