# Incident 20221106017519I: Linstrand ALBUQUERQUE, Albuquerque, NM, November 6, 2022

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 6, 2022, 08:00 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- 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: N3011P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3011P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lindstrand Balloons 77A (registry code 5180001, https://openairdocs.org/model/lindstrand-balloons-77a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LINSTRAND ALBUQUERQUE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 31 total, 20 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221106017519I

## Narrative

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

ON NOVEMBER 6, 2022, AT 0800 MST,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A LINDSTRAND MODEL 77A BALLOON,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRUCK A POWER LINE WHILE LANDING NEAR THE INTERSECTION ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED FOR PERSONAL PURPOSES.  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT APPROXIMATELY 0705 MST ON NOVEMBER 6, 2022 AND WAS FLYING UNDER 14 CFR 91 AND VFR IN VMC.  THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BECAUSE OF ARCING FROM THE POWER LINES.  THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.  INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS ONLY 1-2 KNOTS AND THAT SHE KNEW THAT SHE WAS CLOSE TO THE POWER LINES BUT THOUGHT SHE WOULD JUST CLEAR THEM.  ONCE SHE DISCOVERED THAT SHE WAS SNAGGED, SHE RIPPED OUT AND THE BASKET BEGAN TO TIP.  THIS IS WHEN THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE POWER LINES.  AT APPROXIMATELY 0802 MST, THE PILOT JUMPED OUT OF THE BASKET TO AVOID POTENTIAL SHOCK.  AT APPROXIMATELY 0832 MST THE INCREASED WEIGHT OF THE ENVELOPE CAUSED THE POWER LINES TO ARC AND THE ENVELOPE TO SUSTAIN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE IIC COORDINATED WITH THE NTSB WHO CONCURRED WITH CATEGORIZING THIS AS AN INCIDENT.  THIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE 30-MINUTE GAP BETWEEN THE PILOT EXITING THE AIRCRAFT AND THE TIME THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  IT IS THE IIC’S OPINION THAT THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THIS INCIDENT WAS THE PILOT’S LACK OF EXPERIENCE FOR THE GIVEN CONDITIONS WHEN SHE DID NOT PERFORM PROPER OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE.  THE PILOT WILL RECEIVE REMEDIAL TRAINING ON POWER LINE SAFETY FOR BALLOON PILOTS.

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.