What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 8, 2005, at 0830 MDT, N3635U, an Aerostar S57A hot air balloon sank in the rio grande river north of Albuquerque, NM. The envelope deflated when the crown and vent control lines became entangled in a tree, and the balloon impacted the water. The balloon was being operated on a private flight as part of the Albuquerque international balloon fiesta when the accident occurred. The envelope was destroyed during the event, when it was swept by the current into a series of "jetty jacks" along the bank of the river. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight originated from the Albuquerque international balloon fiesta field at approximately 0800 MDT.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 8, 2005, AT 0830 MDT, N3635U, AN AEROSTAR S57A HOT AIR BALLOON SANK IN THE RIO GRANDE RIVER NORTH OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THE ENVELOPE DEFLATED WHEN THE CROWN AND VENT CONTROL LINES BECAME ENTANGLED IN A TREE, AND THE BALLOON IMPACTED THE WATER. THE BALLOON WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PRIVATE FLIGHT AS PART OF THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE ENVELOPE WAS DESTROYED DURING THE EVENT, WHEN IT WAS SWEPT BY THE CURRENT INTO A SERIES OF "JETTY JACKS" ALONG THE BANK OF THE RIVER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 MDT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.