A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT MAKES A HARD LNDG AND INJURES 1 OF HIS 3 PAX.

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A PLEASURE HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE/FLT WAS INITIATED AT XA30 MST ON MAY/XX/98; IN CRAIG; CO. THE BALLOON HAD 1 PLT AND 3 PAX. AT TIME OF LAUNCH SURFACE WINDS WERE CALM (LESS THAN 3-4 MPH). AN UNEVENTFUL FLT TOOK PLACE WITH VARIABLE WIND SPDS AND DIRECTIONS AT VARIOUS ALTS. AT APPROX XB25 MST; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO END THE FLT AND THE BALLOON BROUGHT TO A LOWER ALT AND A SUITABLE LNDG SITE SOUGHT. AN APCH WAS MADE TO A SUITABLE SITE BUT HORSES WERE IN AN ADJACENT CORRAL. ALT WAS GAINED OVER THE CORRAL. ANOTHER SITE WAS SELECTED AND THE COMMITMENT MADE TO LAND. ON THE APCH TO THE SITE THE SURFACE WIND INCREASED TO AN ESTIMATED 12-15 MPH. THE LNDG COULD NOT BE ABORTED DUE TO THE FLT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BALLOON AND INSUFFICIENT TIME OR ALT TO REHEAT THE BALLOON TO GAIN ALT. A HARD LNDG WAS EXPERIENCED AND THE BASKET DRAGGED ACROSS THE GND. THE SURFACE WAS INITIALLY FLAT FOR 50 FT; THEN CONSISTED OF A DECLINE; WITH SAGE BUSHES AND UNEVEN SURFACE FOR ABOUT 150 FT. UPON THE INITIAL IMPACT OF THE BASKET WITH THE GND THE PAX WERE UNABLE TO REMAIN IN THE PRE-LNDG POS AND WERE PILED INSIDE THE BASKET ON ITS LOWER SIDE; CLOSEST TO THE GND. 1 PAX 'P1' SUSTAINED A CUT TO HER HEAD AS A RESULT OF HITTING HER HEAD ON 1 OF THE 6 CONNECTIONS OF THE BURNER SUPPORTING STRUCTURE (UPRIGHTS) TO THE BASKET. THE CONNECTIONS CONSIST OF THE TWO STRUCTURAL MEMBERS HELD TOGETHER BY A LOCKING PIN THROUGH HOLES IN EACH MEMBER. THE CONNECTION IS UNPROTECTED. OTHER INJURIES SUSTAINED BY 'P1' WERE ABRASIONS AND BRUISES AS A RESULT OF THE INITIAL IMPACT WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER PAX TO LIE AGAINST 'P1;' PINNING HER INTO AN UNPROTECTED POS WHILE THE BALLOON BASKET DRAGGED ACROSS THE GND UNTIL IT STOPPED. CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PROVIDING PROTECTIVE COVERS TO THE CONNECTIONS BTWN THE BURNER UPRIGHTS AND BASKET.