What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 13, 2001, at 0845 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar RXS-8 balloon, N5260E, was substantially damaged after impacting trees and power lines during a high wind landing near the Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, new Mexico. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries, one passenger sustained serious injuries, and one passenger was not injured. The balloon was owned and operated by hunterdon balloon co., of flemington, new jersey. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 aerial observation flight. The local balloon flight departed balloon fiesta park at 0820. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was executing a high wind landing to a field, when the balloon impacted trees that were covering power lines. During the landing sequence, the pilot deflated the balloon envelope which contacted the power lines. After contacting the power lines, the balloon envelope melted, resulting in substantial damage. The balloon basket and uprights were not damaged. The injured pilot and passengers sustained electrical burns. The balloon came to rest approximately 1/2 mile north of the Albuquerque International Airport. According to the Albuquerque International Airport air traffic control tower personnel, at the time of the accident, the wind was reported from 360 degrees at 19 knots. (-23) on October 13, 2001, at 0845 MDT, an Aerostar RX-8 hot air balloon (N5260E) registered to hunterdon balloon co., 4 fir court, flemington, NJ 08822 and operated by thomas j. martin, privacy data omitted , sustained substantial damage while landing at kirtland aft, Albuquerque, NM. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the pleasure flight under 14 CFR part 91 that had originated from thek kodak Albuquerque international balloon fiesta approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident. The commercial pilot and one of his three crewmembers were seriously injures, with one crewmember receiving minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 13, 2001, AT 0845 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROSTAR RXS-8 BALLOON, N5260E, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER IMPACTING TREES AND POWER LINES DURING A HIGH WIND LANDING NEAR THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND ONE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE BALLOON WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY HUNTERDON BALLOON CO., OF FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT. THE LOCAL BALLOON FLIGHT DEPARTED BALLOON FIESTA PARK AT 0820. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING A HIGH WIND LANDING TO A FIELD, WHEN THE BALLOON IMPACTED TREES THAT WERE COVERING POWER LINES. DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, THE PILOT DEFLATED THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WHICH CONTACTED THE POWER LINES. AFTER CONTACTING THE POWER LINES, THE BALLOON ENVELOPE MELTED, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE BALLOON BASKET AND UPRIGHTS WERE NOT DAMAGED. THE INJURED PILOT AND PASSENGERS SUSTAINED ELECTRICAL BURNS. THE BALLOON CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE NORTH OF THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND WAS REPORTED FROM 360 DEGREES AT 19 KNOTS. (-23) ON OCTOBER 13, 2001, AT 0845 MDT, AN AEROSTAR RX-8 HOT AIR BALLOON (N5260E) REGISTERED TO HUNTERDON BALLOON CO., 4 FIR COURT, FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822 AND OPERATED BY THOMAS J. MARTIN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING AT KIRTLAND AFT, ALBUQUERQUE, NM. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PLEASURE FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 THAT HAD ORIGINATED FROM THEK KODAK ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE OF HIS THREE CREWMEMBERS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURES, WITH ONE CREWMEMBER RECEIVING MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.