HARTSEL, Colo. – A woman who died after a hot air balloon made a hard landing in Park County has been identified.
Dana Joyce Haskell, 73, of Columbus, Nebraska, was flown to Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs early Friday morning by first responders from Flight for Life following the hard landing.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain under investigation.
According to Peter Knudson with the National Transportation Safety Board, the hot air balloon was carrying 11 people — 9 passengers, and 2 pilots — when it came to a hard landing in the Hartsel area of Park County.
Knudson said the flight, operated by Colorado Hot Air Balloon Rides, was scheduled and had been in the air for about an hour. He said the balloon collapsed upon landing
The NTSB is investigating, and a preliminary report about what led to the incident should be released in a couple of weeks.
