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20131009021669A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cameron Balloons US V-77 · Rio Rancho, NM · October 9, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 9, 2013 · 08:45 local
Place
Rio Rancho, NM
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9528A
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN14LA007
Reported as
Cameron Balloons US V-77
Reported engine
NONE NONE
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
290 total105 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days
N9528ARegistration cancelled Jul 9, 2018 · Cameron Balloons US V-77S/N 5649 · Built 1990Airframe modelCameron Balloons US V-77Engine 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 9, 2013, at approximately 0845 MDT, N9528A, a Cameron balloons model V-77, , was on a local flight under visual flight rules. The balloon was participating in the albuquerque international balloon fiesta (aibf) competition. It had departed from the balloon fiesta field park. After leaving the completion target area, the balloon flew west and north for approximately 45 minutes before selecting a landing site. On its approach to landing, the balloon struck and became entangled in electrical power lines. The pilot burned to climb and lift the balloon up and off of the lines. The wind pushed the balloon with enough force that the power lines came close enough to discharge an electrical arc around or through the gondola. The electric arc seriously injured the passenger and injured the pilot. The balloon went free from the power lines and descended to a landing on the downwind side on the power lines. There were no additional injuries to the people or damage to the balloon from the landing.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 9, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 0845 MDT, N9528A, A CAMERON BALLOONS MODEL V-77, , WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE BALLOON WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA (AIBF) COMPETITION. IT HAD DEPARTED FROM THE BALLOON FIESTA FIELD PARK. AFTER LEAVING THE COMPLETION TARGET AREA, THE BALLOON FLEW WEST AND NORTH FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES BEFORE SELECTING A LANDING SITE. ON ITS APPROACH TO LANDING, THE BALLOON STRUCK AND BECAME ENTANGLED IN ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. THE PILOT BURNED TO CLIMB AND LIFT THE BALLOON UP AND OFF OF THE LINES. THE WIND PUSHED THE BALLOON WITH ENOUGH FORCE THAT THE POWER LINES CAME CLOSE ENOUGH TO DISCHARGE AN ELECTRICAL ARC AROUND OR THROUGH THE GONDOLA. THE ELECTRIC ARC SERIOUSLY INJURED THE PASSENGER AND INJURED THE PILOT. THE BALLOON WENT FREE FROM THE POWER LINES AND DESCENDED TO A LANDING ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE ON THE POWER LINES. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL INJURIES TO THE PEOPLE OR DAMAGE TO THE BALLOON FROM THE LANDING.

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 CEN14LA007Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRio Rancho, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from power lines on approach to land, resulting in a collision with the wires, a spark, and a subsequent explosion and on-board fire.Oct 9, 2013 · Substantial damage