# NTSB FTW98LA010: Aerostar S-60A, N7154E, Albuquerque, NM, October 10, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 1997, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.059925, -106.619964 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0599&lon=-106.6200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20451 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20451/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA010 ## Probable cause The passenger failing to follow the pilot's instructions as to the proper brace position to assume for landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, landing - flare/touchdown - passenger briefing - not followed, passenger (cause) ## Analysis The pilot said he gave his passengers a preflight briefing that included the positions to assume during landing in the hot air balloon. After flying for about 30 minutes, a landing approach was initiated. The pilot instructed his passengers to assume the landing position, which they did. The position consists of facing the direction of travel, knees slightly bent, and grasping the handholds. The landing 'was (made) at 200 feet per minute.' The pilot (who is a physician) said that when the balloon touched down, one passenger fell to a squatting position and her foot was 'laterally rotated 45 degrees,' sustaining 'an open reduction (fracture) with internal fixation' of her ankle. ## Factual narrative On October 10, 1997, approximately 0900 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar International S-60A hot air balloon, N7154E, sustained no damage during a hard landing at Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. A third passenger, however, sustained a serious injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Albuquerque approximately 0830. The pilot said this was his second flight of the day. He gave his passengers a preflight briefing that included the positions to assume during landing. After flying for about 30 minutes, a landing approach was initiated. He instructed the passengers to assume the landing position, which they did. The position consists of facing the direction of travel, knees slightly bent, and grasping the handholds. The pilot said the landing "was (made) at 200 feet per minute." The pilot (who is a physician) said that when the balloon touched down, one passenger fell to a squatting position and her foot was "laterally rotated 45 degrees," sustaining "an open reduction (fracture) with internal fixation" of her ankle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7154E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7154E-2021-11-06), registration cancelled 2021-11-06, S/N S60A-3210 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerostar S-60A - Registry model: [Aerostar International S-60A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s-60a) (registry code 7486060) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: S60A-3210 - Airframe hours: 78 - Engines: unknown - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Edward N. Fishman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 4, 1997, 38 hours before - Departed: NONE, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; commercial; flight hours: 116 total, 113 in this make and model, 93 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ABQ ## 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 19971010039329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971010039329A), Oct 10, 1997: Raven S60A, Albuquerque, NM. Hard landed. Passenger fell twisted and broke an ankle. (-23) on October 10, 1997, approximately 0900 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar S-60A hot air… ## Other investigations on N7154E (1) 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. - [NTSB WPR11CA435](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA435), Sep 6, 2011: Aerostar International S-60A (N7154E), Park City, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon during the landing on uneven ground. 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.