# NTSB DEN05CA010: Aerostar International S-60S, N6377C, Albuquerque, NM, October 10, 2004

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 10, 2004, 08:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.145278, -106.79528
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1453&lon=-106.7953&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 60327
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05CA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60327/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05CA010

## Probable cause

the passenger striking the pilot's leg during the landing, resulting in a fractured leg.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Miscellaneous/other, landing - flare/touchdown
  - miscellaneous (cause)
  - object - other person (contributing factor)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, during a "stand-up" landing, the passenger fell inside the basket, and struck the pilot's leg. The pilot received a fractured lower leg.

## Factual narrative

On October 10, 2004, at approximately 0820 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar International, Inc., S-60S hot air balloon, N6377C, piloted by a private pilot, was involved in a hard landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The balloon was not damaged.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The local sightseeing flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan.  The pilot received serious injuries and the passenger was not injured.  The flight originated at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico, at approximately 0725.

The pilot stated that, during the "stand-up" landing, the passenger fell inside the basket, and struck the pilot's left leg.  The pilot sustained a fracture at the top of the tibia bone just behind the knee cap.  The pilot said it was just "a freak incident" and did not think it could have been prevented.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6377C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6377C-2021-04-03), registration cancelled 2021-04-03, S/N S60S-3001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Aerostar International Inc. S-60S
- Registry model: [Aerostar International RAVEN S-60S](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-raven-s-60s) (registry code 7484058) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: S60S-3001
- Airframe hours: 435
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Rolinda A. Tzamaloukas
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 14, 2003, 41 hours before
- Departed: Albuquerque, NM

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: serious; commercial; last flight review February 22, 2004; flight hours: 312 total, 253 in this make and model, 60 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: KABQ, 9 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20041010024239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041010024239A), Oct 10, 2004: Aerstr S60S, Albuquerque, NM. (-23) On October 10, 2004, at 0825 MST, an Aerostar S-60-S, N6377C, registered to the pilot, performed a hard landing after conducting a flight from the…

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.

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