What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 09/15/2025 at approx. 0810 am MST. A passenger balloon model camron A-225 privacy data omitted, piloted by a commercially rated pilot, on a sight seeing tour with a flight duration of approx 1 hour, encountered a rough landing with 1 pilot and 7 passengers on board. The balloon departed from a vacant lot on the corner of coors and montano in abq, NM. The max altitude reached was 7300 MSL with max wind speed was 19.8 mph approx. 700 ft AGL. Wind speed at approach site was 13 to 14 mph in direction of 185-190 degrees. After witnessing other balloons landing and flags on the ground the pilot reiterated to the 7 passengers the landing procedures, knowing the landing would be bumpy given the observed wind conditions. The balloon made the approach to the desert field with knee high bushes and unlevel dirt. The balloon contacted the ground and drug for approx. 25 feet. The balloon shifted from vertical to approx. 45 to 60 degrees. The balloon envelope was deflated and basket settled horizontal. The ground crew returned basket to vertical. One passenger sustained a bloody nose and reported her wrist hurt. The passenger was transported to the nearest urgent care by her husband. Upon examination passenger sustained two fractures to her right wrist.
This accident occurred as a result of on the passenger not assuming the correct position that the pilot had briefed the passenger to assume before touchdown and was not the result of pilot neglect or lack of information. Passenger was experienced with balloon rides. The balloon landed without damage in the same area that other balloons had landed at previously on that day without incident and in the same wind conditions. No other passengers were injured in the landing. Jrk
As the FAA filed it
ON 09/15/2025 AT APPROX. 0810 AM MST. A PASSENGER BALLOON MODEL CAMRON A-225 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIALLY RATED PILOT, ON A SIGHT SEEING TOUR WITH A FLIGHT DURATION OF APPROX 1 HOUR, ENCOUNTERED A ROUGH LANDING WITH 1 PILOT AND 7 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE BALLOON DEPARTED FROM A VACANT LOT ON THE CORNER OF COORS AND MONTANO IN ABQ, NM. THE MAX ALTITUDE REACHED WAS 7300 MSL WITH MAX WIND SPEED WAS 19.8 MPH APPROX. 700 FT AGL. WIND SPEED AT APPROACH SITE WAS 13 TO 14 MPH IN DIRECTION OF 185-190 DEGREES. AFTER WITNESSING OTHER BALLOONS LANDING AND FLAGS ON THE GROUND THE PILOT REITERATED TO THE 7 PASSENGERS THE LANDING PROCEDURES, KNOWING THE LANDING WOULD BE BUMPY GIVEN THE OBSERVED WIND CONDITIONS. THE BALLOON MADE THE APPROACH TO THE DESERT FIELD WITH KNEE HIGH BUSHES AND UNLEVEL DIRT. THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE GROUND AND DRUG FOR APPROX. 25 FEET. THE BALLOON SHIFTED FROM VERTICAL TO APPROX. 45 TO 60 DEGREES. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WAS DEFLATED AND BASKET SETTLED HORIZONTAL. THE GROUND CREW RETURNED BASKET TO VERTICAL. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BLOODY NOSE AND REPORTED HER WRIST HURT. THE PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE NEAREST URGENT CARE BY HER HUSBAND. UPON EXAMINATION PASSENGER SUSTAINED TWO FRACTURES TO HER RIGHT WRIST.
THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF ON THE PASSENGER NOT ASSUMING THE CORRECT POSITION THAT THE PILOT HAD BRIEFED THE PASSENGER TO ASSUME BEFORE TOUCHDOWN AND WAS NOT THE RESULT OF PILOT NEGLECT OR LACK OF INFORMATION. PASSENGER WAS EXPERIENCED WITH BALLOON RIDES. THE BALLOON LANDED WITHOUT DAMAGE IN THE SAME AREA THAT OTHER BALLOONS HAD LANDED AT PREVIOUSLY ON THAT DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT AND IN THE SAME WIND CONDITIONS. NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE INJURED IN THE LANDING. JRK
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N980VA · 1
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