# Accident 19970419006199A: Arostr RXS8, Sioux Falls, SD, April 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 19, 1997, 19:30 local time
- Place: Sioux Falls, SD
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.5503° N, 96.6901° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5503&lon=-96.6901&mi=10
- Aircraft: N71493, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N71493) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International RXS-8 (registry code 7487009, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rxs-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AROSTR RXS8
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970419006199A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON LANDING SEQUENCE BALLOON STRUCK ONE OF GROUND CREW PERSONNEL. (.4)THE PILOT WAS LANDING THE BALLOON IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARKING LOT/PLAYGROUND, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. A GROUND CREWMEMBER BECAME OCCUPIED WITH MAKING SURE THAT A CHILD WAS OUT OF THE WAY OF THE BALLOON AS IT WAS TOUCHING DOWN. THE CREWMEMBER DIVERTED HER ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE BASKET. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE BASKET HIT THE CREWMEMBER, WHICH RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES.                                                                       (-23) PILOT DUANE WAACK ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN THE CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YARD IN AN AEROSTAR RXS8 BALLOON.  DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, ONE OF HIS GROUND CREW OBTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE HEAD, WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY THE BASKET WHILE TRYING TO CLEAR THE AREA OF ONLOOKERS.  THE BALLOON N71493 LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT TO THE BALLOON OR ITS PASSENGER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA108), Apr 20, 1997: Aerostar RXS-8 (N71493), Sioux Falls, SD, no damage. Probable cause: the ground crewmember failed to maintain visual contact with the balloon, while it was landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the ground crewmember allowed her attention to be diverted while…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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