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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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October 6, 1996 · Thunder And Colt 90 · GJNNB

Albuquerque, NM

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 6, 1996
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury), 2 uninjured
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Aircraft
Thunder And Colt 90
Tail Number
GJNNB
Operator
Nicholas a P Godfrey
Injuries
Serious
NTSB Number
FTW97LA022

The balloon landed and two passengers attempted to disembark while two other passengers waited to board. One passenger, assisted by her husband, was in the process of exiting the basket and he stepped on her foot, breaking her ankle.

NTSB Probable Cause

The passenger's failure to follow instructions for disembarking.

Full Narrative

On October 6, 1996, approximately 0845 mountain daylight time, a passenger aboard a Colt 90, G-JNNB, sustained a serious injury while exiting the hot air balloon at Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and another passenger were not injured and the aircraft was not damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Albuquerque on October 6, approximately 0800. On October 23, 1996 the pilot was sent NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report. The pilot returned a blank accident report on December 4, 1996, stating he had previously mailed a completed report to NTSB's South Central Regional Office. Attempts to locate this report failed and another report was sent to the pilot on January 7, 1997. The report was received on February 18, 1997. The following is based on the pilot's report and corroborated by an FAA inspector who monitored the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The pilot and two passengers departed at 0700 and flew at an average height of 1,000 feet agl on a southerly track. After a 45 to 50 minute flight, they made an uneventful landing. The two passengers attempted to disembark while two other passengers waited to board for a second flight. A passenger, assisted by her husband, was in the process of exiting the basket and he stepped on her foot, breaking her ankle.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:45 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftThunder And Colt 90
Tail NumberGJNNB
Aircraft CategoryBall
OperatorNicholas a P Godfrey
Operating RulePart 91
Engine TypeUnknown
Engine DetailsUnknown

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury), 2 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total3
Crew 1Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility70 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point54 / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data