What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 7, 2022, at 0930 MST, privacy data omitted an Aerostar S-53A balloon, privacy data omitted hit a known object while landing. The certificated ATP pilot was conducting a recreational flight while participating in the Albuquerque international balloon fiesta. The aircraft departed balloon fiesta field, Albuquerque, NM at approximately 0705 MST on October 7, 2022, and was flying under 14 CFR 91 and VFR in VMC. The pilot did not file a flight plan. The aircraft sustained minor damage after impacting the paseo del norte bridge. This impact caused one of the two passengers to suffer a serious injury. The pilot and other passenger were uninjured. It is the opinion of the iic that the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the aircraft caused it to hit the known object, in turn causing the accident. The pilot was verbally counseled on adequate preflight planing.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 7, 2022, AT 0930 MST, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AN AEROSTAR S-53A BALLOON, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HIT A KNOWN OBJECT WHILE LANDING. THE CERTIFICATED ATP PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A RECREATIONAL FLIGHT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BALLOON FIESTA FIELD, ALBUQUERQUE, NM AT APPROXIMATELY 0705 MST ON OCTOBER 7, 2022, AND WAS FLYING UNDER 14 CFR 91 AND VFR IN VMC. THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AFTER IMPACTING THE PASEO DEL NORTE BRIDGE. THIS IMPACT CAUSED ONE OF THE TWO PASSENGERS TO SUFFER A SERIOUS INJURY. THE PILOT AND OTHER PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. IT IS THE OPINION OF THE IIC THAT THE PILOT’S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSED IT TO HIT THE KNOWN OBJECT, IN TURN CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS VERBALLY COUNSELED ON ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.