20091005020069A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Raven RX-7 · Albuquerque, NM · October 5, 2009

Date: October 5, 2009 · 08:02 local
Place: Albuquerque, NM
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N9126K
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10CA010
Reported as: Raven RX7
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 265 total230 in this make and model23 in the last 90 days

N9126KRegistered now · Aerostar International RX-7S/N RX7-3326 · Built 1998 Airframe modelAerostar International RX-7 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On October 5, 2009 at 0802 MDT N9126K, an Aerostar RX-7 hot air balloon, struck a tent supporting structure while approaching a target area during a balloon competition. A passenger was ejected from the balloon basket and the balloon climbed rapidly after the passenger was ejected. When the pilot, who remained on board tried to stop the rapid ascent, the throat of the balloon collapsed and she was unable to put in enough hot air to stop the now rapidly descending balloon. The balloon made a hard landng on the balloon fiesta park in Albuquerque, NM. Both the ejected passenger and the pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot, the owner of the balloon, was participating in the Albuquerque internaltional balloon fiesta. The aircraft was being operated under under 14 CFR part 91 visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time and no VFR flight plan was filed.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 5, 2009 AT 0802 MDT N9126K, AN AEROSTAR RX-7 HOT AIR BALLOON, STRUCK A TENT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE WHILE APPROACHING A TARGET AREA DURING A BALLOON COMPETITION. A PASSENGER WAS EJECTED FROM THE BALLOON BASKET AND THE BALLOON CLIMBED RAPIDLY AFTER THE PASSENGER WAS EJECTED. WHEN THE PILOT, WHO REMAINED ON BOARD TRIED TO STOP THE RAPID ASCENT, THE THROAT OF THE BALLOON COLLAPSED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO PUT IN ENOUGH HOT AIR TO STOP THE NOW RAPIDLY DESCENDING BALLOON. THE BALLOON MADE A HARD LANDNG ON THE BALLOON FIESTA PARK IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM. BOTH THE EJECTED PASSENGER AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PILOT, THE OWNER OF THE BALLOON, WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNALTIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME AND NO VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN10CA010Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a known obstacle and the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon during the sudden climb following the ejection of the passenger.Oct 5, 2009 · Minor damage

Other reports on N9126K · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20191007023419ALanding: Touchdown · Rio Rancho, NMOn October 7,2019, at 0900 MDT, an Aerostar International Inc RX-7, N9126K, [privacy data omitted], experienced a hard landing approximately 021.87 degrees, 7.69 miles from double eagle airport, while on a pleasure flight. Visual meteorological conditions…Oct 7, 2019 · Substantial damage