Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Littleton, Colorado 80120
Saturday, July 8, 1995 7:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A NORMAL LANDING, FOLLOWING A 30 MINUTE FLIGHT, THE GONDOLA TIPPED ON ITS SIDE TRAPPING THE PILOT'S RIGHT ARM UNDER THE GONDOLA. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A FRACTURE TO THE RIGHT FOREARM, THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE BALLOON DURING LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/8/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LITTLETON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80120
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 545 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5440
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 454
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1044
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2232H
NTSB Number FTW95LA280
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BALLOON WORKS
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 7
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 7
Aircraft Serial Number 7779
Certified Max Gross Weight 1660
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 0
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 309
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MYRON E. KAYTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2215 S. JULIAN STREET
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80219
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --