# NTSB FTW98LA231: Balloon Works Firefly 7-B, N1527M, Longmont, CO, May 17, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 17, 1998, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Longmont, CO - Coordinates: 40.169555, -105.109512 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1696&lon=-105.1095&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 December 1, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20616 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA231 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20616/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA231 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to properly position his foot for a high wind landing. Factors were high winds and windshear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, landing - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor) - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis During the landing approach, the winds were from the south at 5 to 7 knots. At 30 to 40 feet above the ground, the pilot encountered wind shear out of the east at 30 to 35 knots, and the intended landing was aborted. The pilot climbed to 150 agl and set up for a high wind landing. Upon touchdown, the pilot's foot was caught between the wicker siding and the solid floor of the basket, and the pilot's ankle was broken. According to the pilot, the accident would not have occurred had he not improperly placed his foot between the wicket basket and the floor plate of the balloon at the time the balloon impacted the ground. ## Factual narrative On May 17, 1998, approximately 0830 mountain daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly 7-B balloon, N1527M, was not damaged during landing near Longmont, Colorado. The private pilot received serious injuries and his one passenger was uninjured. The balloon was owned and being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight that originated from a private field near Twin Lakes, Colorado, approximately one hour before the accident, and no flight plan was filed. According to the pilot, the winds were from the south at 5 to 7 knots during the landing approach. At 30 to 40 feet above the ground, the balloon "encountered severe wind shear out of the east at 30 to 35 knots." The intended landing was aborted, and he climbed to 150 feet agl to set up for a high wind landing. The second landing "was typical for high wind conditions," but when the balloon landed, the pilot's foot was caught between the wicker siding and the solid floor of the basket. The pilot's ankle was broken when the balloon impacted the ground. From the point of initial impact to the balloon's final resting was 16 feet. The pilot stated in a telephone interview following the accident that the mishap would not have occurred had he not improperly placed his foot between the wicket basket and the floor plate of the balloon at the time the balloon impacted the ground. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1527M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1527M-2012-08-21), registration cancelled 2012-08-21, S/N 10987, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B (FIREFLY 7-) - Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7-b) (registry code 10501A9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 10987 - Airframe hours: 223 - Engines: unknown - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Keith R. Hanson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 31, 1997, 16 hours before - Departed: NONE, TWIN LAKES, CO - Destination: NONE, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; private; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 61 total, 49 in this make and model, 20 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FNL, 19 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 19980517021179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980517021179A), May 17, 1998: Balwks FIREFLY7B, Longmont, CO. High wind landing. Pilots foot was caught in wicker siding. Received a broken ankle. (.4)during the landing approach, the winds were from the south at 5 to 7… 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.