What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mr. George, a lta commercial pilot, was imparting instruction to a student pilot. The student pilot was having difficulty with landings. All landings made prior to the accident were normal. Mr. George, acting as pilot-in-command, established a normal sink rate and was giving instruction as to the proper angle for the approach and landing. He had positioned himself in front and to the left side of the student pilot. He could not fully observe the student's actions or landing posture. During a normal landing Mr. George allowed the balloon's basket to descend to within inches of the ground, as the basket began to drag the ground it tilted forward. At this point he stated he felt the student pilot's body weight against him as if she were falling forward due to the dragging basket. He applied heat to the envelope initiating a slight climb. By this time Mr. George noticed the student pilot in the floor of the basket. He briefly examined her leg and determined she was injured. At this point Mr. George initiated a very shallow approach and landing. The balloon was deflated and Ms. Marx was taken to the hospital where it was determined she had a broken ankle.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MR. GEORGE, A LTA COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS IMPARTING INSTRUCTION TO A STUDENT PILOT. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH LANDINGS. ALL LANDINGS MADE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WERE NORMAL. MR. GEORGE, ACTING AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND, ESTABLISHED A NORMAL SINK RATE AND WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION AS TO THE PROPER ANGLE FOR THE APPROACH AND LANDING. HE HAD POSITIONED HIMSELF IN FRONT AND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STUDENT PILOT. HE COULD NOT FULLY OBSERVE THE STUDENT'S ACTIONS OR LANDING POSTURE. DURING A NORMAL LANDING MR. GEORGE ALLOWED THE BALLOON'S BASKET TO DESCEND TO WITHIN INCHES OF THE GROUND, AS THE BASKET BEGAN TO DRAG THE GROUND IT TILTED FORWARD. AT THIS POINT HE STATED HE FELT THE STUDENT PILOT'S BODY WEIGHT AGAINST HIM AS IF SHE WERE FALLING FORWARD DUE TO THE DRAGGING BASKET. HE APPLIED HEAT TO THE ENVELOPE INITIATING A SLIGHT CLIMB. BY THIS TIME MR. GEORGE NOTICED THE STUDENT PILOT IN THE FLOOR OF THE BASKET. HE BRIEFLY EXAMINED HER LEG AND DETERMINED SHE WAS INJURED. AT THIS POINT MR. GEORGE INITIATED A VERY SHALLOW APPROACH AND LANDING. THE BALLOON WAS DEFLATED AND MS. MARX WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED SHE HAD 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.