Aerostar RX-8 N7172D

Summary

On 19 April 2003 at about 12:40 local time, a Aerostar RX-8 registered N7172D was involved in an accident near Bossier City, Louisiana, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 April 2003 at 12:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Bossier City, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

32.4464, -93.8256

Aircraft

Aerostar RX-8

Registration

N7172D

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Frierson → Shreveport

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03LA135

1 person was seriously injured.

The failure of the passenger to follow the pilots landing instructions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an approach for landing the pilot instructed the passengers to face the direction of flight, hold on tight, and do not get out of the balloon until he told them to. Just prior to contacting the ground, he shook the basket to make sure the passenger's knees were bent for impact. As the pilot was making the landing, he informed everyone what to expect again and that the basket would tip over and rebound before coming to a complete stop. When the balloon landed, the pilot's handheld radio fell to the floor of the basket and one of the passengers reached down to pick it up. As the balloon "rebounded or skidded" along the ground for approximately 6 feet, the passenger hit her face on the propane tank injuring her back and neck.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.