# Accident 19961221042329A: Raven S60A, Rio Rancho, NM, December 21, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 1996, 09:20 local time
- Place: Rio Rancho, NM
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2334° N, 106.6645° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Rio Rancho, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2334&lon=-106.6645&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4396K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4396K-2017-05-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Raven S-60A (registry code 7480606, https://openairdocs.org/model/raven-s-60a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RAVEN S60A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 304 total, 120 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961221042329A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DURING HIGH WIND LANDING PULLED TOP OPEN TO DROP IN AT 20FT AGL. WIND GUST CAUSED HIGH DELATION AND HARD IMPACT. (-23) ON DECEMBER 21, 1996, AT 0918 MST, A RAVEN S60-A HOT AIR BALLOON, N4396K, OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE OWNER, LANDED HARD NEAR RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO. THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE POLICE OFFICER ON THE SCENE THAT THE BEGINNING OF THE LANDING APPEARED NORMAL. SHE ASKED ONE OF THE PASSENGERS TO OPENT THE FLAP, AND AT THAT TIME, WHAT SHE BELIEVED TO BE WIND SHEAR, FORCED THE BALLOON TO THE GROUND.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA068), Dec 21, 1996: Raven S-60A (N4396K), Rio Rancho, NM, no damage. Probable cause: The passenger's failure to follow recommended procedures to properly brace for a high wind landing. A factor was the windshear.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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