# Accident 20170220001719A: Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX10-180S1, Albuquerque, NM, February 20, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 20, 2017, 08:45 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0647° N, 106.6281° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0647&lon=-106.6281&mi=10
- Aircraft: N709TC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N709TC-2018-06-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX10-180S1 (registry code 2301224, https://openairdocs.org/model/thunder-colt-airborne-amer-ax10-180s1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: THUNDER & COLT AIRBORNE AMER AX10-180S1
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 10
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 646 total, 77 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN17LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170220001719A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON FEBRUARY 20, 2017, AT 0845 MST, A THUNDER AND COLT BALLOON, N709TC, REGISTRATION PENDING TO ARTHUR MOLLER, WAS CONDUCTING A BALLOON RIDE BY AIR CARRIAGE, LLC.  THERE WERE NINE PASSENGERS ON THE BALLOON.  THE BALLOON STRUCK THREE POWER LINES FORCING THE BALLOON TO LAND ON A SOCCER FIELD.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME.  WIND DIRECTION AND SPEEDS REPORTED DURING THE FLIGHT WERE 110 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS TO 020 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS.

THE BALLOON SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BUT LANDED SAFELY.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NM.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN17LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA118), Feb 20, 2017: Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX10 180 (N709TC), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s delayed reaction to the balloon’s increased rate of descent during an attempted landing, which resulted in impact with a power line.

## Other reports on N709TC (1)

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

- [Incident 20111106026589I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111106026589I), Nov 6, 2011: Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX10-180S1 (N709TC), Chandler, AZ, No damage. On 11/06/2011, [privacy data omitted] piloted a balloon with 8 passengers onboard. At least 3 landing attempts were made in variable wind conditions. These…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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