What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During landing of the hot air balloon, a bystander grabbed the edge of the basket during initial contact with the ground, in an attempt to add weight and stabilize the balloon. After the balloons initial contact with the ground, the basket lifted off the ground approximately four to five feet before coming to a final stop. During the upward hop, the bystander continued to hold onto the basket and was lifted off the ground, the bystander lost hold of the basket, and fell approximately 3 to 4 feet. Bystander broke leg resulting from the fall.
As the FAA filed it
DURING LANDING OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON, A BYSTANDER GRABBED THE EDGE OF THE BASKET DURING INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADD WEIGHT AND STABILIZE THE BALLOON. AFTER THE BALLOONS INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, THE BASKET LIFTED OFF THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY FOUR TO FIVE FEET BEFORE COMING TO A FINAL STOP. DURING THE UPWARD HOP, THE BYSTANDER CONTINUED TO HOLD ONTO THE BASKET AND WAS LIFTED OFF THE GROUND, THE BYSTANDER LOST HOLD OF THE BASKET, AND FELL APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 FEET. BYSTANDER BROKE LEG RESULTING FROM THE FALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.