# Accident 20011013029399A: Raven S57A, Albuquerque, NM, October 13, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 13, 2001, 07:55 local time - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.1497° N, 106.5806° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1497&lon=-106.5806&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3636Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3636Z) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aerostar International RAVEN S57-A (registry code 7485057, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-raven-s57-a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RAVEN S57A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 60 total, 60 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA014) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011013029399A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON OCTOBER 13, 2001, AT 0755 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROSTAR RAVEN S57-A HOT-AIR BALLOON, N3636Z, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE BALLOON WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A SERIOUS INJURY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BALLOON FIESTA PARK, AT 0715. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE INTENDED FLIGHT WAS TO BE SHORT; HOWEVER, AFTER TAKEOFF, THE WIND INCREASED AND THE BALLOON OVER FLEW THE INTENDED LANDING AREA. THE PILOT THEN SELECTED A FIELD AT THE DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL IN WHICH TO LAND. THE FIELD HAD WIRES ALONG ITS EDGE. AS THE BALLOON WAS CLEARING THE WIRES, THE PILOT VENTED THE BALLOON, BUT THE BALLOON CONTINUED TO FLOAT PAST THE FIELD, IMPACTING A WOODEN POST LOCATED NEAR A BUILDING. THE BALLOON ROTATED, STRUCK THE BUILDING, AND CAME TO REST WITH ITS BASKET ON A FENCE. THE BALLOON'S ENVELOPE, BASKET, AND BASKET UPRIGHTS WERE DAMAGED. (-23) ON OCTOBER 13, 2001 AT 0755 MDT, A AEROSTAR BALLOON S57A, N3636Z REGISTERED TO DEBBIE HECKES, TOM FISHER, AND BRADLEY RICE, COLLIDED WITH A WOODEN POST AND A BUILDING ON LANDING AT DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL, ALBUQUERQUE, NM WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE BALLOON WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND ONE PASSENGER SUFFERED A BROKEN WRIST. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BALLOON FIESTA PARK AT ALBUQUERQUE, NM ON OCTOBER 13 AT 0715 MDT. (.4) ON OCTOBER 13, 2001, AT 0755 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROSTAR RAVEN S57-A HOT-AIR BALLOON, N3636Z, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING DURING LANDING NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE BALLOON WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A SERIOUS INJURY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BALLOON FIESTA PARK, AT 0740. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE INTENDED FLIGHT WAS TO BE SHORT; HOWEVE R, AFTER TAKEOFF, THE WIND INCREASED AND THE BALLOON OVER FLEW THE INTENDED LANDING AREA. THE PILOT THEN SELECTED A FIELD AT THE DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL IN WHICH TO LAND. THE FIELD HAD WIRES ALONG ITS EDGE. AS THE BALLOON WAS CLEARING THE WIRES, THE PILOT VENTED THE BALLOON, BUT THE BALLOON CONTINUED TO FLOAT PAST THE FIELD, IMPACTING A WOODEN TELEPHONE POST LOCATED NEAR A BUILDING. THE BALLOON ROTATED, STRUCK THE BUILDING, AND CAME TO REST WITH ITS BASKET ON A FENCE. THE BALLOON'S ENVELOPE, BASKET, AND BASKET UPRIGHTS WERE DAMAGED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND HAD INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS. AT 0750, THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL SUNPORT AIRPORT (ABQ), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, REPORTED THE WIND FROM 010 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, SKY CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 7 DEGREES C, DEW POINT -13 DEGREES C, ALTIMETER 30.01 INCHES OF MERCURY (HG). ## 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 FTW02LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA014), Oct 13, 2001: Aerostar Raven S57-A (N3636Z), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: inadvertent flight into adverse (high wind) weather conditions, which resulted in an inflight collision with objects while landing. A contributing factor was the high wind weather condition. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.