Summary
On August 02, 2015, a Thunder & Colt AX8 105S2 (N787TC) was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, NM. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot did not properly brace herself during the landing, which resulted in a broken ankle and leg.
The pilot stated that the balloon flight was normal with light and variable wind conditions. The pilot stated she informed the passenger that the basket may "hop" a couple of times during the landing and told him to brace himself. When the balloon basket touched the ground, the pilot's foot became wedged between the sidewall of the basket and one of the fuel tanks. The pilot lost her balance, her body shifted, and she felt her ankle fracture. She told the passenger to continue pulling the deflation line. The envelope deflated quickly and the basket laid down onto its side. There was no damage to the envelope or basket. The pilot suffered a broken ankle and leg.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN15CA340. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N787TC.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot did not properly brace herself during the landing, which resulted in a broken ankle and leg.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot stated that the balloon flight was normal with light and variable wind conditions. The pilot stated she informed the passenger that the basket may "hop" a couple of times during the landing and told him to brace himself. When the balloon basket touched the ground, the pilot's foot became wedged between the sidewall of the basket and one of the fuel tanks. The pilot lost her balance, her body shifted, and she felt her ankle fracture. She told the passenger to continue pulling the deflation line. The envelope deflated quickly and the basket laid down onto its side. There was no damage to the envelope or basket. The pilot suffered a broken ankle and leg.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN15CA340