What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During high wind landing pulled top open to drop in at 20FT AGL. Wind gust caused high delation and hard impact. (-23) on December 21, 1996, at 0918 MST, a Raven S60-A hot air balloon, N4396K, owned and operated by a private owner, landed hard near Rio Rancho, new Mexico. The balloon was not damaged. The pilot and one passenger were not injured; however the other passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the title 14 CFR part 91 flight. A flight plan was not filed for the local flight that originated at Rio Rancho, new Mexico. The pilot reported to the police officer on the scene that the beginning of the landing appeared normal. She asked one of the passengers to opent the flap, and at that time, what she believed to be wind shear, forced the balloon to the ground.
As the FAA filed it
DURING HIGH WIND LANDING PULLED TOP OPEN TO DROP IN AT 20FT AGL. WIND GUST CAUSED HIGH DELATION AND HARD IMPACT. (-23) ON DECEMBER 21, 1996, AT 0918 MST, A RAVEN S60-A HOT AIR BALLOON, N4396K, OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE OWNER, LANDED HARD NEAR RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO. THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE POLICE OFFICER ON THE SCENE THAT THE BEGINNING OF THE LANDING APPEARED NORMAL. SHE ASKED ONE OF THE PASSENGERS TO OPENT THE FLAP, AND AT THAT TIME, WHAT SHE BELIEVED TO BE WIND SHEAR, FORCED THE BALLOON TO THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.