19990328047289A

Accident

FAA accident report · Camron V77CAMERON · Elbert, CO · March 28, 1999

Date: March 28, 1999 · 07:00 local
Place: Elbert, CO
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N74008
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN99LA059
Reported as: Camron V77CAMERON
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,300 total300 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N74008Registered now · Cameron Balloons US V-77S/N 5104 Airframe modelCameron Balloons US V-77 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.

(.4) Upon landing in a field, the basket tipped on its side and was dragged approximately 100 feet across the level, smooth ground. The passenger lost her grip on the uprights (nylon poles which support the propane burner above the basket) and her arm was subsequently caught between the basket and the ground. Upon impact, her collar bone was broken. The pilot stated in his accident report that a recommendation he could make to have helped prevent the accident would have been to make a 'slower descent.' According to the pilot, at approximately 250 feet AGL during landing, the winds decreased from 10 to between 5 to 7 mph. (-23) aircraft was operating under FAR 91. Upon landing the one passenger lost her handhold on the basket. This resulted in a cracked shoulder blade. The flight originated from black forest, Colorado, at approx. 0620. The landing occurred at 0700. No flight plan was filed.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) UPON LANDING IN A FIELD, THE BASKET TIPPED ON ITS SIDE AND WAS DRAGGED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ACROSS THE LEVEL, SMOOTH GROUND. THE PASSENGER LOST HER GRIP ON THE UPRIGHTS (NYLON POLES WHICH SUPPORT THE PROPANE BURNER ABOVE THE BASKET) AND HER ARM WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT BETWEEN THE BASKET AND THE GROUND. UPON IMPACT, HER COLLAR BONE WAS BROKEN. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS ACCIDENT REPORT THAT A RECOMMENDATION HE COULD MAKE TO HAVE HELPED PREVENT THE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO MAKE A 'SLOWER DESCENT.' ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AT APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET AGL DURING LANDING, THE WINDS DECREASED FROM 10 TO BETWEEN 5 TO 7 MPH. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING UNDER FAR 91. UPON LANDING THE ONE PASSENGER LOST HER HANDHOLD ON THE BASKET. THIS RESULTED IN A CRACKED SHOULDER BLADE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM BLACK FOREST, COLORADO, AT APPROX. 0620. THE LANDING OCCURRED AT 0700. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

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 DEN99LA059Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportElbert, COThe pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during touchdown, resulting in a hard landing. A factor was the passenger's failure to properly position herself for the landing.Mar 28, 1999 · No damage