What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On October 8, 1998, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a balloon works firefly-7, N36609, was not damaged when it collided with terrain at fiesta park, near Albuquerque, mew Mexico. The private pilot and one of the two passenger aboard were not injured; however, one passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. According to the FAA inspector, the pilot made a hard landing. One of two passengers broke her leg. (.4) on October 8, 1998, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a balloon works firefly-7 balloon, N36609, was not damaged during a hard landing near Albuquerque, new Mexico. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; however, a second passenger received serious injuries. The balloon was being operated by the pilot under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight which originated from kodak Albuquerque international balloon fiesta park, Albuquerque, new Mexico, approxiamtely 60 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot he was preparing to land in a small field with power lines upwind and downwind. He had instructed the passengers, the pilot's mother and a balloon ground crew member, how to brace themselves for a "cold fast landing." The pilot stated, upon landing, that as soon as they contacted the ground, he heard on of his passengers "scream in pain." Attempting to stop the balloon with the top pulled out, the balloon swung forward 6-8 feet where it touched down a seconed time. After deflation of the balloon, he and one of his passengers exited the balloon, the other passenger was unable to exit due to two broken legs. (-23) while landing balloon in field at abq, basket had hard landing and passenger on.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON OCTOBER 8, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1000 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY-7, N36609, WAS NOT DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AT FIESTA PARK, NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, MEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE OF THE TWO PASSENGER ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING. ONE OF TWO PASSENGERS BROKE HER LEG. (.4) ON OCTOBER 8, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1000 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY-7 BALLOON, N36609, WAS NOT DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, A SECOND PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE BALLOON WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM KODAK ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA PARK, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, APPROXIAMTELY 60 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS PREPARING TO LAND IN A SMALL FIELD WITH POWER LINES UPWIND AND DOWNWIND. HE HAD INSTRUCTED THE PASSENGERS, THE PILOT'S MOTHER AND A BALLOON GROUND CREW MEMBER, HOW TO BRACE THEMSELVES FOR A "COLD FAST LANDING." THE PILOT STATED, UPON LANDING, THAT AS SOON AS THEY CONTACTED THE GROUND, HE HEARD ON OF HIS PASSENGERS "SCREAM IN PAIN." ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE BALLOON WITH THE TOP PULLED OUT, THE BALLOON SWUNG FORWARD 6-8 FEET WHERE IT TOUCHED DOWN A SECONED TIME. AFTER DEFLATION OF THE BALLOON, HE AND ONE OF HIS PASSENGERS EXITED THE BALLOON, THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS UNABLE TO EXIT DUE TO TWO BROKEN LEGS. (-23) WHILE LANDING BALLOON IN FIELD AT ABQ, BASKET HAD HARD LANDING AND PASSENGER ON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.