20121010022939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aerostar International RX 8 · Albuquerque, NM · October 10, 2012

Date: October 10, 2012 · 10:00 local
Place: Albuquerque, NM
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N90550
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13LA032
Reported as: Aerostar International RX 8
Reported engine: N/A N/A
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 123 total123 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N90550Registered now · Aerostar International RX 8S/N RX8-3297 · Built 2000 Airframe modelAerostar International RX 8 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

N90550 departed balloon fiesta field during the 2012 Albuquerque international balloon fiesta. After takeoff the winds began to increase. Pilot elected to land 5 south of balloon fiesta field. On landing, due to high winds, made a hard landing and hit a fence. PIC received no injuries and two passengers with minor injuries. Balloon sustained substantial damage. Two uprights severed and two bent at 90 degree angles. Basket and envelope also sustained damange.

As the FAA filed it

N90550 DEPARTED BALLOON FIESTA FIELD DURING THE 2012 ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. AFTER TAKEOFF THE WINDS BEGAN TO INCREASE. PILOT ELECTED TO LAND 5 SOUTH OF BALLOON FIESTA FIELD. ON LANDING, DUE TO HIGH WINDS, MADE A HARD LANDING AND HIT A FENCE. PIC RECEIVED NO INJURIES AND TWO PASSENGERS WITH MINOR INJURIES. BALLOON SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. TWO UPRIGHTS SEVERED AND TWO BENT AT 90 DEGREE ANGLES. BASKET AND ENVELOPE ALSO SUSTAINED DAMANGE.

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 CEN13LA032Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMThe pilot’s failure to attain the desired touchdown point because of wind conditions and surrounding obstructions, which resulted in the balloon impacting a fence during the approach to landing.Oct 10, 2012 · Substantial damage