What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 26 June 2021 at approximately 0705 MDT, a 2013 Cameron O-120 lighter than air balloon, N158NM registered to privacy data omitted. Experienced a crash after contacting electrical power lines, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The balloon was destroyed, and the FAA certificated commercial pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from a launch area in nw Albuquerque, NM, 35°8'39"n - 106°41'28"w at approximately 0645 MDT.
Flight ended at set coordinates 35°4'36"n - 106°43'22"w in Albuquerque,NM. After contacting a high voltage powerline carrying 115 thousand volts, the gondola separated crashing to the ground. All occupants sustained fatal electrical shock. The envelope separated and traveled 1.9 miles where it descended and landed at set coordinates 35°4'0"n - 106°43'17"w
It is the opinion of the inspector in charge (iic),
The pilot failed to clear a 75 foot electrical powerline carrying 115 thousand volts while descending, resulting in fatally injuring the pilot and 4 occupants.
Investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies and/or contributing factors in this accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON 26 JUNE 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 0705 MDT, A 2013 CAMERON O-120 LIGHTER THAN AIR BALLOON, N158NM REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. EXPERIENCED A CRASH AFTER CONTACTING ELECTRICAL POWER LINES, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE BALLOON WAS DESTROYED, AND THE FAA CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A LAUNCH AREA IN NW ALBUQUERQUE, NM, 35°8'39"N - 106°41'28"W AT APPROXIMATELY 0645 MDT.
FLIGHT ENDED AT SET COORDINATES 35°4'36"N - 106°43'22"W IN ALBUQUERQUE,NM. AFTER CONTACTING A HIGH VOLTAGE POWERLINE CARRYING 115 THOUSAND VOLTS, THE GONDOLA SEPARATED CRASHING TO THE GROUND. ALL OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED FATAL ELECTRICAL SHOCK. THE ENVELOPE SEPARATED AND TRAVELED 1.9 MILES WHERE IT DESCENDED AND LANDED AT SET COORDINATES 35°4'0"N - 106°43'17"W
IT IS THE OPINION OF THE INSPECTOR IN CHARGE (IIC),
THE PILOT FAILED TO CLEAR A 75 FOOT ELECTRICAL POWERLINE CARRYING 115 THOUSAND VOLTS WHILE DESCENDING, RESULTING IN FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT AND 4 OCCUPANTS.
INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.