20231007016429I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Head Balloons AX8-105 · Rio Rancho, NM · October 7, 2023

Date: October 7, 2023 · 09:59 local
Place: Rio Rancho, NM
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N5004R
Reported as: Head Balloons AX8-105
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 200 total

N5004RRegistered now · Head Balloons AX8-105S/N 493 · Built 2021 Airframe modelHead Balloons AX8-105 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On October 07, 2023, at 0959 MST, Head balloon AX8-105, landed in gusty winds and the envelope draped over a barbed wire fence in Rio Rancho, NM, while participating in an air show. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The aircraft sustained minor damage and the certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight originated at balloon fiesta field in albuquerque, NM, on October 07, 2023. The investigation determined a gust of wind caused the envelope to drape over the fence. There was no indication of pilot error or mechanical issues.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 07, 2023, AT 0959 MST, HEAD BALLOON AX8-105, LANDED IN GUSTY WINDS AND THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER A BARBED WIRE FENCE IN RIO RANCHO, NM, WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AN AIR SHOW. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BALLOON FIESTA FIELD IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM, ON OCTOBER 07, 2023. THE INVESTIGATION DETERMINED A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE ENVELOPE TO DRAPE OVER THE FENCE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF PILOT ERROR OR MECHANICAL ISSUES.