What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 10/11/01 at 10:45 MDT, N2580A, a balloon works firefly AX7-15 balloon, flown by private pilot kenneth August ferguson, contacted an abandoned powerline after landing in tijeras canyon east of Albuquerque, NM at the end of a part 91 pleasure flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan had been filed. An informal weather briefing had been obtained at the kodak Albuquerque international balloon fiesta (kaibf) launch site at 6:15 MDT. The balloon had flown east from the kaibf park then drifted south along the foothills of the sandia mountains. The pilot did not find a suitable landing site before the balloon drifted into the mouth of tijeras canyon where the winds picked up. After aborting one landing due to powerlines, he attempted to deflate the envelope at a second location. As the envelope deflated it draped over a second set of power poles and flapped in the gusting wind for approximately 30 minutes. Added damage was incurred when power company employees pulled the fabric off the poles and insulators. Neither the pilot or his passenger were injured in the incident. The flight had originated that same day at kaibf field at 08:50 MDT.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 10/11/01 AT 10:45 MDT, N2580A, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY AX7-15 BALLOON, FLOWN BY PRIVATE PILOT KENNETH AUGUST FERGUSON, CONTACTED AN ABANDONED POWERLINE AFTER LANDING IN TIJERAS CANYON EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM AT THE END OF A PART 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. AN INFORMAL WEATHER BRIEFING HAD BEEN OBTAINED AT THE KODAK ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA (KAIBF) LAUNCH SITE AT 6:15 MDT. THE BALLOON HAD FLOWN EAST FROM THE KAIBF PARK THEN DRIFTED SOUTH ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS. THE PILOT DID NOT FIND A SUITABLE LANDING SITE BEFORE THE BALLOON DRIFTED INTO THE MOUTH OF TIJERAS CANYON WHERE THE WINDS PICKED UP. AFTER ABORTING ONE LANDING DUE TO POWERLINES, HE ATTEMPTED TO DEFLATE THE ENVELOPE AT A SECOND LOCATION. AS THE ENVELOPE DEFLATED IT DRAPED OVER A SECOND SET OF POWER POLES AND FLAPPED IN THE GUSTING WIND FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. ADDED DAMAGE WAS INCURRED WHEN POWER COMPANY EMPLOYEES PULLED THE FABRIC OFF THE POLES AND INSULATORS. NEITHER THE PILOT OR HIS PASSENGER WERE INJURED IN THE INCIDENT. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED THAT SAME DAY AT KAIBF FIELD AT 08:50 MDT.
Other reports on N2580A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.