Hard Landing: Balloon Sends Woman to Hospital With Minor Injuries

A woman suffered a minor injury Monday when the hot air balloon she was riding in made a "hard landing" in a residential yard in Rancho Peñasquitos, a spokesperson for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.

Maurice Luque told Patch that that the woman was transported to Pomerado Hospital, apparently for mild back pain. No other injuries were reported and one medic and one engine responded to the scene, Luque said.

The accident in the 13100 block of Avenida del General was reported about 4:45 p.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Luque said 14 people had been riding in the balloon's passenger basket when it made a hard landing for unknown reasons in the yard.

"This was not a crash," Luque told Patch. "It was a hard landing."

The deflated blue-and-yellow balloon wound up draped over a tree and part of a home but caused no known property damage or damage to the basket, according to Luque.

—City News Service contributed to this report.