What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) Prior to departing for the cross-country balloon flight, the pilot received a weather briefing from an automated flight service station. The pilot was briefed that the wind speed was 28 mph on top of the mountains the flight was to cross. The pilot reported that "we decided that it was a little fast but doable." The pilot reported that he was unable to obtain weather information for his destination prior to the flight due to the lack of weather reporting facilities east of the mountains. The balloon departed with a light and variable wind. The balloon ascended to 11,250 feet MSL and its ground speed increased to 52 mph as it crossed over the mountains. After crossing the mountains, the balloon descended to 500 feet AGL, where the wind speed was 32 mph. As the flight continued, the pilot selected a field and attempted a high wind landing. During the landing sequence the pilot and a passenger were ejected from the basket. The balloon then took off and ascended to 1,000 feet with the remaining passenger, who was a balloon pilot. The passenger took control of the balloon and landed safely 6 miles from where the pilot and passenger were ejected. (-23) on 12/18/01, approximately 0845 mountain standard time, a cameron Z90 hot air balloon (N884ZS) owned by galles motor company, albuquerque, NM and operated by privacy data omitted; privacy data omitted landed in high winds near Mcintosh, NM. privacy data omitted Was seriously injured as a result of the high-wind landing while the other two crewmembers on the aircraft were uninjured. The pilot-in-command holds a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air, balloon rating. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed albuquerque, NM, under 14 CFR part 91, approximately one hour prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY BALLOON FLIGHT, THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM AN AUTOMATED FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED THAT THE WIND SPEED WAS 28 MPH ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS THE FLIGHT WAS TO CROSS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT "WE DECIDED THAT IT WAS A LITTLE FAST BUT DOABLE." THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION FOR HIS DESTINATION PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT DUE TO THE LACK OF WEATHER REPORTING FACILITIES EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS. THE BALLOON DEPARTED WITH A LIGHT AND VARIABLE WIND. THE BALLOON ASCENDED TO 11,250 FEET MSL AND ITS GROUND SPEED INCREASED TO 52 MPH AS IT CROSSED OVER THE MOUNTAINS. AFTER CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS, THE BALLOON DESCENDED TO 500 FEET AGL, WHERE THE WIND SPEED WAS 32 MPH. AS THE FLIGHT CONTINUED, THE PILOT SELECTED A FIELD AND ATTEMPTED A HIGH WIND LANDING. DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE EJECTED FROM THE BASKET. THE BALLOON THEN TOOK OFF AND ASCENDED TO 1,000 FEET WITH THE REMAINING PASSENGER, WHO WAS A BALLOON PILOT. THE PASSENGER TOOK CONTROL OF THE BALLOON AND LANDED SAFELY 6 MILES FROM WHERE THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE EJECTED. (-23) ON 12/18/01, APPROXIMATELY 0845 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CAMERON Z90 HOT AIR BALLOON (N884ZS) OWNED BY GALLES MOTOR COMPANY, ALBUQUERQUE, NM AND OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^; ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LANDED IN HIGH WINDS NEAR MCINTOSH, NM. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH-WIND LANDING WHILE THE OTHER TWO CREWMEMBERS ON THE AIRCRAFT WERE UNINJURED. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND HOLDS A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH A LIGHTER-THAN-AIR, BALLOON RATING. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH DEPARTED ALBUQUERQUE, NM, UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.