Cameron V-77 N74008

Summary

On 28 March 1999 at about 14:00 local time, a Cameron V-77 registered N74008 was involved in an accident near Elbert, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 1999 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Elbert, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.2196, -104.5301

Aircraft

Cameron V-77

Registration

N74008

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Black Forest → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99LA059

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during touchdown, resulting in a hard landing. A factor was the passenger's failure to properly position herself for the landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Upon landing in a field, the basket tipped on its side and was dragged approximately 100 feet across the level, smooth ground. The passenger lost her grip on the uprights (nylon poles which support the propane burner above the basket) and her arm was subsequently caught between the basket and the ground. Upon impact, her collar bone was broken. The pilot stated in his accident report that a recommendation he could make to have helped prevent the accident would have been to make a 'slower descent.' According to the pilot, at approximately 250 feet agl during landing, the winds decreased from 10 to between 5 to 7 mph.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.