# Accident 20011013036769A: Arostr RXS8, Albuquerque, NM, October 13, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 13, 2001, 08:45 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Airport: Albuquerque International Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0416° N, 106.5560° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Albuquerque Airport (1928), closed, within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0416&lon=-106.5560&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5260E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5260E-2024-03-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International RXS-8 (registry code 7487009, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rxs-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AROSTR RXS8
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA012) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011013036769A

## Narrative

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

(.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.

## 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 FTW02LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA012), Oct 13, 2001: Aerostar RXS-8 (N5260E), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a power line during landing. A contributing factor was the high wind during the landing.

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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