What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)On October 4, 1998, approximately 0830 mountain daylight time, a cameron N-120 balloon, N1607G, was not damaged when it collided with terrain near Albuquerque, new Mexico. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, these passengers received minor injuries and one passenger received serious injuries. The balloon was being operated by the owner under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight which originated approximately 30 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot's accident report, he and his passengers went for a short ride at Albuquerque's balloon fiesta when he encountered wind shear. The pilot and an pilot rated passenger executed a burn to control the descent. The burn was unsuccessful. The balloon made a hard landing and one passenger broke her leg. The balloon was not damaged in the landing, although the basket did tip over while the pilot was attempting to deflate the balloon. (-23) on Sunday morning, October 04, 1998, at approximately 0855 am, MDT, a cameron, N-120 balloon, N1607G, made a hard landing in a field on the nort heast edge of at Albuquerque, NM. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The balloon was flying at approximately 500 feet AGL when in encountered windshear and began a descent which could not be arrested even with both burners fully operating. The descent terminated with a hard landing in an open field. One passenger suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized with a broken leg. Three passengers received minor injuries. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from the Albuquerque kodak international balloon fiesta park, located in Albuquerque, NM.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)ON OCTOBER 4, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 0830 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CAMERON N-120 BALLOON, N1607G, WAS NOT DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, THESE PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE BALLOON WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S ACCIDENT REPORT, HE AND HIS PASSENGERS WENT FOR A SHORT RIDE AT ALBUQUERQUE'S BALLOON FIESTA WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED WIND SHEAR. THE PILOT AND AN PILOT RATED PASSENGER EXECUTED A BURN TO CONTROL THE DESCENT. THE BURN WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE BALLOON MADE A HARD LANDING AND ONE PASSENGER BROKE HER LEG. THE BALLOON WAS NOT DAMAGED IN THE LANDING, ALTHOUGH THE BASKET DID TIP OVER WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEFLATE THE BALLOON. (-23) ON SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 04, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 0855 AM, MDT, A CAMERON, N-120 BALLOON, N1607G, MADE A HARD LANDING IN A FIELD ON THE NORT HEAST EDGE OF AT ALBUQUERQUE, NM. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE BALLOON WAS FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL WHEN IN ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR AND BEGAN A DESCENT WHICH COULD NOT BE ARRESTED EVEN WITH BOTH BURNERS FULLY OPERATING. THE DESCENT TERMINATED WITH A HARD LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. ONE PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH A BROKEN LEG. THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE KODAK INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA PARK, LOCATED IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.