# NTSB CEN26LA108: Adams Balloon A55S, N4010K, Durango, CO, January 30, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 30, 2026, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Durango, CO · golf course - Coordinates: 37.383333, -107.85 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3833&lon=-107.8500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report March 19, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 202387 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202387/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202387 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA108 ## Probable cause The ground crewmember’s failure to immediately let go of the balloon after it began an inadvertent climb while landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Andrew Philip Richardson DBA A55S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=0050055), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Andrew Philip Richardson DBA A55S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=0050055), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the hot air ballon flight lasted about 45 minutes and covered a distance of about 1.2 miles at 1,000 ft above ground level. During landing, a person assisting with recovery of another balloon came over to assist with recovery of the accident balloon. She grabbed the edge of the basket upon initial contact with the ground in an attempt to stabilize the balloon. However, the basket subsequently lifted off the ground 4 to 5 ft before coming to a stop. As the balloon became airborne again, the person assisting lost her hold on the basket and fell to the ground. The person did not initially seek medical treatment, but later in the day, she was diagnosed with a broken leg. There was no damage to the balloon, nor were there any injuries to the pilot and two passengers onboard. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4010K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4010K), registered now, S/N 245, built 2017 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ADAMS BALLOON A55S - Registry model: [Andrew Philip Richardson DBA A55S](https://openairdocs.org/model/andrew-philip-richardson-dba-a55s) (registry code 0050055) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 245 - Year built: 2017 - Airframe hours: 133 - Engines: N/A N/A none - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, September 16, 2025 - Departed: N/A, Durango, CO - Destination: N/A, Durango, CO - Airport: N/A - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; private; last flight review September 7, 2025; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 749 total, 146 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 14 °F - Altimeter: 30.40 inHg - Observed at: KDRO, 15 nm away - METAR: METAR KDRO 301653Z AUTO 11004KT 10SM CLR M02/M10 A3040 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20260130001149I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260130001149I), Jan 30, 2026: Andrew Philip Richardson DBA A55S, Durango, CO, No damage. 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… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 19, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202387. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19957141&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN26LA108_redacted-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.