# Accident 20000318004069A: Adams A55S, Los Lunas, NM, March 18, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2000, 09:50 local time
- Place: Los Lunas, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8099° N, 106.7298° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8099&lon=-106.7298&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4035T, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4035T) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Adams Balloon A55S (registry code 0050105, https://openairdocs.org/model/adams-balloon-a55s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ADAMS A55S
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000318004069A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE ST. PATRICK'S BALLOON RALLY WEATHER BRIEFING INDICATED CALM SURFACE WINDS. WINDS ALOFT WERE GREATER THAN 20 KNOTS, AND THE LEVEL WAS EXPECTED TO DROP LATER THAT MORNING.  ON A PREVIOUS FLIGHT, THE WINDS ALOFT HAD BEEN NEGLIGIBLE, THEN VARIED BETWEEN SOUTHEASTERLY AT 5 KNOTS TO WESTERLY AT 3 KNOTS.  ON A LATER FLIGHT, THE WIND WAS 'VARIABLE AND SLOW,' THEN BECAME 'PREDOMINANTLY TO THE WEST AT APPROXIMATELY 2TO 3 KNOTS.'  THE PILOT LANDED THE BALLOON IN AN OPEN FIELD 'UNASSISTED AND STANDING UP.'  THE ENVELOPE WAS NOT DEFLATED AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THE WIND WAS CALM AND THE CHASE CREW HAD NOT YET ARRIVED.  WHEN THE CHASE CREW DID ARRIVE, 'THE WIND SEEMED TO CHANGE DIRECTION TO THE SOUTHEAST,' AND WIND SPEED 'INCREASED DRAMATICALLY...FROM THE NORTHWEST AT APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 KNOTS.'  THE BALLOON ASCENDED ABOUT 15 TO 20 FEET.  THE BALLOON 'THROAT COLLAPSED AND [THE PILOT] COULD NOT BURN TO COMPENSATE FOR FALSE LIFT.'  HE ATTEMPTED TO VENT THE ENVELOPE, BUT THE TOP WOULD NOT OPEN BECAUSE IT WAS COLD FROM STANDING ON THE GROUND.  THE FALSE LIFT DISSIPATED, THE BALLOON STRUCK THE GROUND, AND WAS DRAGGED ACROSS THE FIELD.

## 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 DEN00LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA062), Mar 18, 2000: Adams A55S (N4035T), Los Lunas, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision not to deflate the envelope. A factor was the wind gust.

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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