# NTSB GAA17CA155: Balloon Works Firefly 7, N7423D, Statesville, NC, February 24, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 24, 2017, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC) - Place: Statesville, NC - Coordinates: 35.857498, -80.74472 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8575&lon=-80.7447&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 22, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - NTSB case key (mKey): 94774 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94774/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94774 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA155 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s decision to place one foot on the balloon basket and one foot on the floor during the landing, which resulted in a broken ankle. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1050100), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Communication (personnel): issuing instructions](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063538): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot; cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063538/cases.md?model=1050100), [All aircraft, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063538/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=1050100), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=1050100), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot and flight instructor of the balloon were performing their ninth training flight. The instructor reported that, during the flight, the student made an approach to a grass field about 5 knots. During the landing, there were multiple touchdowns, and during the first, the balloon "rebounded back up" and touched down again about 65 ft northwest of the initial touchdown point. During the second touchdown, the student pilot put his right foot on the front of the basket to brace for the landing, and his left foot remained on the floor of the basket. The balloon touched down, and the student pilot rolled his ankle. The balloon "rebounded back up," and the flight instructor pulled the valve line to deflate the balloon. The balloon came to rest about 30 ft farther to the northwest. The student pilot sustained a broken ankle. The balloon did not sustain substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. Per the recommendation of the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the flight instructor reported the following: In an effort to prevent an accident similar to the one that occurred with N7423D, I will brief student pilots as to the importance of bracing oneself correctly and that two feet on the floor during touch downs will provide better stability from the human factors perspective of balance. I will also discuss this event in future safety forums within the balloon community in order to enhance safety. It is my belief that these actions will help to prevent any future occurrences of this nature. ## Factual narrative The student pilot and flight instructor of the balloon, were performing their ninth training flight. The instructor reported that during the flight, the student made an approach to a grass field with the airspeed about 5 kts. During the landing there were multiple touch downs and during the first, the balloon "rebounded back up" and touched down again about 65 feet north-west of the initial touch down point. During the second touch down the student pilot put his right foot on the front of the basket to brace for the landing and his left foot remained on the floor of the basket. The balloon touched down and the student pilot rolled his ankle. The balloon "rebounded back up" and the flight instructor pulled the valve line to deflate the balloon. The balloon came to rest about 30 feet further to north-west. The student pilot sustained a broken ankle. The balloon did not sustain substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. Per the recommendation of the NTSB Investigator-in-charge, the flight instructor reported: In an effort to prevent an accident similar to the one that occurred with N7423D, I will brief student pilots as to the importance of bracing oneself correctly and that two feet on the floor during touch downs will provide better stability from the human factors perspective of balance. I will also discuss this event in future safety forums within the balloon community in order to enhance safety. It is my belief that these actions will help to prevent any future occurrences of this nature. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7423D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7423D), registered now, S/N F7-291 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY 7 (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7) (registry code 1050100) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: F7-291 - Year built: 1986 - Airframe hours: 326.9 - Engines: Balloon Works T3-017(burner none - Damage: No damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, December 8, 2016 - Departed: N/A, Cool Spring Tow, NC - Destination: Statesville, NC - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 67; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review July 2, 2016; restraint: none; flight hours: 1,090 total, 924 in this make and model, 1,090 as pilot in command, 15.2 in the last 90 days, 4.5 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 38; injuries: serious; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 7.5 total, 7.5 in this make and model, 7.5 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: KJQF, 8 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 20170224005499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170224005499A), Feb 24, 2017: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, Statesville, NC, No damage. On 2/24/17 at approximately 1705 EST, the instructor and student pilot departed on a VFR flight in a firefly 7 Balloon, N7423D with the intent to practice… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94774. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40455710&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40455711&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.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.