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Atlas / NTSB / DEN88LA201

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event DEN88LA201

1988-08-27 FORT MORGAN, Colorado, United States Serious 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF, THE WINDS WERE 'LIGHT TO MODERATE FROM 015 DEG AT 5 KTS OR LESS.' SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE WINDS INCREASED TO 10-15 KTS AND THE PLT DECIDED TO LAND ON 'GRASSY, RELATIVELY SMOOTH TERRAIN.' THE PLT SAID HE INSTRUCTED HIS TWO PAX TO 'BEND THEIR KNEES' AT OR JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. ONE PAX LOCKED HER KNEES AND SUSTAINED A FRACTURED ANKLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PLT OR THE OTHER PAX, AND THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_DEN88LA201.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.