19961005043399A

Accident

FAA accident report · Avianw SKYHAWK · Albuquerque, NM · October 5, 1996

Date: October 5, 1996 · 06:45 local
Place: Albuquerque, NM
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N47AV
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA011
Reported as: Avianw Skyhawk
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 576 total400 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N47AVRegistration cancelled Feb 4, 2023 · Avian Balloon SKYHAWKS/N 47 · Built 1981 Airframe modelAvian Balloon SKYHAWK Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Ground crewman injured when balloon lifted. Hand caught in a rope. Lifted 20FT then got loose and fell. (-23) on 10/05/96 at 5:45 am MDT, a ground crewmember suffered serious injuries while assisting in the predawn launch of avian AX8 hot air balloon (N47AV). The accident occurred near the tramway blvd. And I-25 intersection, in Albuquerque, NM. The aircraft was preparing to launch for the "dawn patrol", and then continue on a pleasure flight. During launch, the ground crewmember's fingernails became caught in a rope that secures an assist handle to the gondola. By the time she could free herself, the balloon was above 20 feet AGL. The crewmember fell onto an inflating balloon and slid down the side of the envelope before contracting the ground and sustaining injuries. The aircraft is registered to howard f. kennedy;privacy data omitted visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. Mr. Kennedy holds a us commercial pilot certificate # 507423020.

As the FAA filed it

GROUND CREWMAN INJURED WHEN BALLOON LIFTED. HAND CAUGHT IN A ROPE. LIFTED 20FT THEN GOT LOOSE AND FELL. (-23) ON 10/05/96 AT 5:45 AM MDT, A GROUND CREWMEMBER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES WHILE ASSISTING IN THE PREDAWN LAUNCH OF AVIAN AX8 HOT AIR BALLOON (N47AV). THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR THE TRAMWAY BLVD. AND I-25 INTERSECTION, IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PREPARING TO LAUNCH FOR THE "DAWN PATROL", AND THEN CONTINUE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT. DURING LAUNCH, THE GROUND CREWMEMBER'S FINGERNAILS BECAME CAUGHT IN A ROPE THAT SECURES AN ASSIST HANDLE TO THE GONDOLA. BY THE TIME SHE COULD FREE HERSELF, THE BALLOON WAS ABOVE 20 FEET AGL. THE CREWMEMBER FELL ONTO AN INFLATING BALLOON AND SLID DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ENVELOPE BEFORE CONTRACTING THE GROUND AND SUSTAINING INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO HOWARD F. KENNEDY;^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. MR. KENNEDY HOLDS A US COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE # 507423020.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA011Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMThe ground crew member's failure keep clear from the gondola during take off. A factor was the pilot's failure to insure crew coordination during take off.Oct 5, 1996 · No damage

Other reports on N47AV · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870215013279IOther Ground Ops · Albuquerque, NMBalloon touched down, wind picked balloon back up and into powerlines and trees.Feb 15, 1987 · Minor damage