Lindstrand 105A accident near Lawton, Oklahoma, August 23, 2019
On August 23, 2019 at about 1:00 pm local time, a 2011 Lindstrand 105A (balloon), registered N7172D, was involved in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Lawton, Oklahoma. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing, which resulted the basket tipping over and a passenger sustaining a serious injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2019 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lawton, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lindstrand 105A No Series, built 2011
- Registration
- N7172D · registry record · serial 5490
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a revenue sightseeing flight, the pilot landed the balloon hard in an open pasture, then the basket tipped over and was dragged by the balloon about 20 ft before it came to a stop. The pilot stated that after the accident, he saw one of his adult male passengers laying on top of his elderly mother in the bottom of the basket. The 85-year-old female passenger sustained serious injuries.
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.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Last flight review: July 16, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 266 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 2019
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lawton OK at 12:20 pm
- Destination: Lawton OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from LAW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N7172D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.