# Accident 20221007016669A: Aerostar AERSTR-S53, Albuquerque, NM, October 7, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2022, 09:30 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1816° N, 106.6522° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1816&lon=-106.6522&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9140F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9140F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerostar International S53A (registry code 7487906, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s53a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR AERSTR-S53
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 26,790 total, 859 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221007016669A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN23LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA006), Oct 7, 2022: Aerostar International S53A (N9140F), Albuquerque, NM, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inability to find a suitable landing area in a critical fuel situation and his decision to land on a highway, which resulted in the balloon impacting a bridge railing and terrain.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.