# Incident 20211004016969I: Aerostar International Inc RX-7, Albuquerque, NM, October 4, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 4, 2021, 08:45 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0845° N, 106.6511° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Albuquerque, NM, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0845&lon=-106.6511&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6502K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6502K-2023-06-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International RX-7 (registry code 7487007, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rx-7) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX-7
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 399 total, 89 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211004016969I

## Narrative

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

ON OCTOBER 4, 2021, AT 0845 MDT, AN AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL, INC. BALLOON, N6502K,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE A HARD LANDING NEAR TOPEKA STREET SW IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM.(35° 3? 19?N 106° 39? 2?W).  THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY (A HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN) AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.  THE BALLOON HAD SIGNIFICANT SCORCH DAMAGE TO THE ENVELOPE FABRIC AND LOAD TAPES.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN VFR CONDITIONS FROM ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA PARK ON OCTOBER 4, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 0730 MDT.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

THE PILOT STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE WIND WAS FORECAST TO BE 20 KNOTS AT 1000 FEET AGL, HE FELT HE HAD TO FLY AS AN AIBF PARTICIPANT.  HE WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THAT AS SOON AS HE WAS ALOFT, HE WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND AND WAS RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS.  HE SAW AN EMPTY LOT BUT AS THE BALLOON WAS COMING DOWN, THE ENVELOPE STRUCK A HIGH TENSION LINE AND PENDULUM SWUNG UNDERNEATH IT.   THE PILOT PULLED THE RED CORD DEFLATING THE BALLOON AND, AS IT HIT THE GROUND, THE DEFLATING ENVELOPE WRAPPED AROUND ANOTHER POWER LINE.

IN THE OPINION OF IIC THAT THE PILOT FELT PRESSURED TO FLY EVEN THOUGH WINDS WERE FORECAST TO BE ABOVE 20 KNOTS.  PILOT COMPETENCY IS ALSO AN ISSUE CONSIDERING HE HAD ONLY FLOWN 7 HOURS IN THE 90 DAYS PRIOR TO AIBF

T-SW01-FY22-0130, SW01202200492 AND 498

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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