What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The two balloons were practicipating in the alburquerque international balloon fiest. According to witnesses, N1602R was descending at an altitude of approximately 250 feet to 300 feet AGL. Another witness stated that N71415 was "moving towards N1602R and was clearly descending rapidly while buring to arrest the descent". The pilot of N1602R reported that he was descending when the "top of my balloon was hit from above by the bottom of the basket of another balloon." The pilot of N71415 reported seeing N1602R "approaching below me at a slightly quicker ground speed: the N1602R began to ascend and I began to fire both of my burners," FAR91.113(b) states that "vigiliance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft." Several balloon instructors stated that the balloon instructors states that the balloon community teaches that the lower balloon has the right of way. Post accident examination of photographs taken during the collision sequence reveal that after seperating. N71415 rose approximately 275 feet, while N1602R maintained its position relative to the balloons around him. (-23) on October 10 1997, during the Albuquerque international balloon fiest, two balloons were participating in a competitive event when one balloon basket came in contact with another balloon's envelope. The cameron balloon, N1602R was below and slightly behind the Aerostar balloon, N71415. The basket of the upper balloon came into contact with the lower balloon envelope resulting in a large hole being torn in the lower balloon envelope. The pilot burned both burners continuously to slow his descent which enabled the balloon to land without further incident.
As the FAA filed it
THE TWO BALLOONS WERE PRACTICIPATING IN THE ALBURQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIEST. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, N1602R WAS DESCENDING AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET TO 300 FEET AGL. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT N71415 WAS "MOVING TOWARDS N1602R AND WAS CLEARLY DESCENDING RAPIDLY WHILE BURING TO ARREST THE DESCENT". THE PILOT OF N1602R REPORTED THAT HE WAS DESCENDING WHEN THE "TOP OF MY BALLOON WAS HIT FROM ABOVE BY THE BOTTOM OF THE BASKET OF ANOTHER BALLOON." THE PILOT OF N71415 REPORTED SEEING N1602R "APPROACHING BELOW ME AT A SLIGHTLY QUICKER GROUND SPEED: THE N1602R BEGAN TO ASCEND AND I BEGAN TO FIRE BOTH OF MY BURNERS," FAR91.113(B) STATES THAT "VIGILIANCE SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY EACH PERSON OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT SO AS TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT." SEVERAL BALLOON INSTRUCTORS STATED THAT THE BALLOON INSTRUCTORS STATES THAT THE BALLOON COMMUNITY TEACHES THAT THE LOWER BALLOON HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN DURING THE COLLISION SEQUENCE REVEAL THAT AFTER SEPERATING. N71415 ROSE APPROXIMATELY 275 FEET, WHILE N1602R MAINTAINED ITS POSITION RELATIVE TO THE BALLOONS AROUND HIM. (-23) ON OCTOBER 10 1997, DURING THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIEST, TWO BALLOONS WERE PARTICIPATING IN A COMPETITIVE EVENT WHEN ONE BALLOON BASKET CAME IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER BALLOON'S ENVELOPE.THE CAMERON BALLOON, N1602R WAS BELOW AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE AEROSTAR BALLOON, N71415. THE BASKET OF THE UPPER BALLOON CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE LOWER BALLOON ENVELOPE RESULTING IN A LARGE HOLE BEING TORN IN THE LOWER BALLOON ENVELOPE. THE PILOT BURNED BOTH BURNERS CONTINUOUSLY TO SLOW HIS DESCENT WHICH ENABLED THE BALLOON TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.