What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-16) During a local flight, the pilot was conducting several touch and go landings. On the final landing, as the basket made ground contact, the pilot had her ankle twisted. The forward momentum of the basket, after ground contact, caused the pilot to put sideward pressure on the ankle, causing a bone fracture. The office investigation of this mishap revealed no competency issue on the behalf of the pilot nor was the pilot acting contrary to any FAR. This type of injury during balloon landings is not uncommon. This injury is more related to the foot position of the occupant during the landing sequence than it is to any adverse action of the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
(-16) DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING SEVERAL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. ON THE FINAL LANDING, AS THE BASKET MADE GROUND CONTACT, THE PILOT HAD HER ANKLE TWISTED. THE FORWARD MOMENTUM OF THE BASKET, AFTER GROUND CONTACT, CAUSED THE PILOT TO PUT SIDEWARD PRESSURE ON THE ANKLE, CAUSING A BONE FRACTURE. THE OFFICE INVESTIGATION OF THIS MISHAP REVEALED NO COMPETENCY ISSUE ON THE BEHALF OF THE PILOT NOR WAS THE PILOT ACTING CONTRARY TO ANY FAR. THIS TYPE OF INJURY DURING BALLOON LANDINGS IS NOT UNCOMMON. THIS INJURY IS MORE RELATED TO THE FOOT POSITION OF THE OCCUPANT DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE THAN IT IS TO ANY ADVERSE ACTION OF THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.