Lindstrand LBL69A accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 27, 2015

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The commercial balloon pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to obtain currency in landings and to practice steep approaches. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger obtained a weather briefing from flight service and also checked the weather at the launch site; the weather conditions were good for the flight. They took off in the balloon and began tracking to the south. The pilot immediately began practicing approaches and landings. She performed three approaches and full-stop landings on road intersections without any problems. She began the fourth approach to a road about 1,000 ft above ground level. The pilot reported that she misjudged the approach and that, upon landing, the balloon hit the road's edge hard. The pilot was thrown forward and hit the basket bolster with her chest. The balloon bounced and then touched down on the opposite side of the road. The basket then tipped over and was dragged about 10 ft before it stopped. The pilot sustained broken ribs during the accident. The pilot reported that the accident balloon was a standard-sized balloon, which was different from the racing balloon that she usually flew, and that the racing balloons climb and descend differently. It is likely that the pilot's lack of recent experience flying the standard-shaped balloon contributed to her failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the approach.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.