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19980517021179A

Accident
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FAA accident report · Balwks FIREFLY 7-B · Longmont, CO · May 17, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 17, 1998 · 08:30 local
Place
Longmont, CO
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N1527M
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA231
Reported as
Balwks FIREFLY7B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
61 total49 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N1527MRegistration cancelled Aug 21, 2012 · Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-BS/N 10987 · Built 1981Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 7-BEngine 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.

High wind landing. Pilots foot was caught in wicker siding. Received a broken ankle. (.4)during the landing approach, the winds were from the south at 5 to 7 knots. At 30 to 40 feet above the ground, the pilot encountered wind shear out of the east at 30 to 35 knots, and the intended landing was aborted. The pilot climbed to 150 AGL and set up for a high wind landing. Upon touchdown, the pilot's foot was caught between the wicker siding and the solid floor of the basket, and the pilot's ankle was broken. According to the pilot, the accident would not have occurred had he not improperly placed his foot between the wicket basket and the floor plate of the balloon at the time the balloon impacted the ground. (-23)on may 17, 1998, approximately 0830 MDT, a balloon works firefly 7-B balloon, N1527M, was not damaged during landing in Longmont, Colorado. The private pilot was seriously injuried and his passenger was uninjured. While on final approach, the pilot reported that there were gusty surface winds and therefore set up for a hign landing. When the balloon landed, the pil ot's foot was caught between the wicker siding and the solid floor of the basket, causing the private pilot to suffer a broken ankle.

As the FAA filed it

HIGH WIND LANDING. PILOTS FOOT WAS CAUGHT IN WICKER SIDING. RECEIVED A BROKEN ANKLE. (.4)DURING THE LANDING APPROACH, THE WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTH AT 5 TO 7 KNOTS. AT 30 TO 40 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED WIND SHEAR OUT OF THE EAST AT 30 TO 35 KNOTS, AND THE INTENDED LANDING WAS ABORTED. THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 150 AGL AND SET UP FOR A HIGH WIND LANDING. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT'S FOOT WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE WICKER SIDING AND THE SOLID FLOOR OF THE BASKET, AND THE PILOT'S ANKLE WAS BROKEN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ACCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED HAD HE NOT IMPROPERLY PLACED HIS FOOT BETWEEN THE WICKET BASKET AND THE FLOOR PLATE OF THE BALLOON AT THE TIME THE BALLOON IMPACTED THE GROUND. (-23)ON MAY 17, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 0830 MDT, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY 7-B BALLOON, N1527M, WAS NOT DAMAGED DURING LANDING IN LONGMONT, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURIED AND HIS PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AND THEREFORE SET UP FOR A HIGN LANDING. WHEN THE BALLOON LANDED, THE PIL OT'S FOOT WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE WICKER SIDING AND THE SOLID FLOOR OF THE BASKET, CAUSING THE PRIVATE PILOT TO SUFFER A BROKEN ANKLE.

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 FTW98LA231Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLongmont, COThe pilot's failure to properly position his foot for a high wind landing. Factors were high winds and windshear.May 17, 1998 · No damage

Other reports on N1527M · 1

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

Incident 20010527011459IDescent · Louisville, CO(-23)Pilot checked before flight and monitored jefferson county ATIS during flight. Unforcast winds came up and during landing hit tree. Minor damage to balloon.May 27, 2001 · Minor damage