# NTSB IAD05CA141: Lindstrand Balloons 77A, N4024P, Louisville, KY, September 24, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 24, 2005, 09:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place: Louisville, KY
- Coordinates: 38.223331, -85.658058
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2233&lon=-85.6581&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report January 31, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 62545
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD05CA141
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62545/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05CA141

## Probable cause

The ground crewman's failure to release the basket of the balloon when it resumed flight during the landing phase.  A factor in the accident was the wet grass at the landing site.

## Sequence of events

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

- Miscellaneous/other, landing
  - terrain condition - grass
  - procedures/directives - not followed, ground personnel (cause)
  - terrain condition - wet (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The ground crewman grabbed onto the basket of the balloon upon landing.  As she did so, her feet slipped from under her on the wet grass, and the balloon lifted into the air.  When the basket of the balloon reached about 8 feet above the ground, the crewman lost her grip, fell to the ground, and was seriously injured.  The crewman stated that she held onto the basket only because she had lost her footing.

## Factual narrative

On September 24, 2005, at 0905 eastern daylight time, a Lindstrand 77A hot air balloon was undamaged during landing at Bowman Field Airport (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger were not injured, and a ground crewman was seriously injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Bowman Airport.  The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

A Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector witnessed the accident and provided a statement.  According to the inspector, the crewman grabbed onto the basket of the balloon upon landing.  As she did so, her feet slipped from under her on the wet grass, and the balloon lifted into the air.

When the basket of the balloon reached about 8 feet above the ground, the crewman lost her grip, and fell to the ground, where she broke her wrist and fractured her pelvis.

The inspector described the balloon landing as "normal."  He said that the crewman was experienced, and that she knew to release a balloon should it resume flight during a landing.  He added that the ground crewman stated that she held onto the basket only because she had lost her footing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4024P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4024P-2026-09-21), registration cancelled 2026-09-21, S/N 5044, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Lindstrand Balloons 77A
- Registry model: [Lindstrand Balloons 77A](https://openairdocs.org/model/lindstrand-balloons-77a) (registry code 5180001) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 5044
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91
- Registered owner: Randy C. Oates
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: LOU, Louisville, KY
- Destination: LOU

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 3,149 total, 100 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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 20050924027529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050924027529A), Sep 24, 2005: Lbl 77ALBL, Louisville, KY. (-23) The balloon was landing in a grassy area of the airport, near other balloons. As the balloon touched down, a ground crewmember of another balloon ran…

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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