Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

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. The pilot's failure to properly position his foot for a high wind landing. Factors were high winds and windshear.