What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 23 January 2021, at approximately 0910 MDT, a 2006 lindstrand 77A lighter than air balloon, N477LB, registered to privacy data omitted, experienced a high-speed, hard landing on the dessert mesa northwest of albuquerque, NM, near Rio Rancho, NM. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The balloon sustained minor damage, and the FAA certificated private
Pilot was not injured. The single passenger suffered serious blunt force trauma after being ejected from the basket during the landing phase of flight, which resulted in his death a short time later that morning. The flight originated from a launch area in Rio Rancho, NM, at approximately 0800 MDT.
As the FAA filed it
ON 23 JANUARY 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 0910 MDT, A 2006 LINDSTRAND 77A LIGHTER THAN AIR BALLOON, N477LB, REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, EXPERIENCED A HIGH-SPEED, HARD LANDING ON THE DESSERT MESA NORTHWEST OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM, NEAR RIO RANCHO, NM. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE BALLOON SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, AND THE FAA CERTIFICATED PRIVATE
PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE SINGLE PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA AFTER BEING EJECTED FROM THE BASKET DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS DEATH A SHORT TIME LATER THAT MORNING. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A LAUNCH AREA IN RIO RANCHO, NM, 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.