Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baytown, Texas 77521
Saturday, September 14, 1991 19:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE CREWMEMBER, AND WITNESSES, THE PILOT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE BALLOON BOUNCED BACK UP ABOUT 10 FEET FOLLOWING THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN. THE SECOND LANDING WAS ALSO NORMAL AND THE BASKET CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITH THE ENVELOPE STILL INFLATED. THE CREWMEMBER STATED AFTER THE FIRST BOUNCE, SHE TENSED UP, AND ON THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN HER LEFT ANKLE FOLDED UNDER HER. SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY BROKEN THE SAME ANKLE IN A SKIING ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON AND NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT WHO WAS THE ONLY OTHER OCCUPANT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CREWMEMBERS IMPROPER POSTURE DURING LANDING WHICH LED TO A SERIOUS INJURY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BAYTOWN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77521
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1525
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45362
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5182U
NTSB Number FTW91LA161
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 Barnes
Aircraft Model AX 7
Aircraft Series Identifier AX 7
Aircraft Serial Number 114
Certified Max Gross Weight 1680
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 7 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 26
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NELSON, JACK H.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2427 BAKER DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MESQUITE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75150
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NELSON, JACK H.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2427 BAKER DRIVE
Operator City MESQUITE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75150
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:35AM
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 --