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20260502003899A

Accident · Minor damage
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FAA accident report · Cameron Balloons US C-80 · Rio Rancho, NM · May 2, 2026

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Date
May 2, 2026 · 08:00 local
Place
Rio Rancho, NM
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N4022X
Reported as
Cameron Balloons US C-80
Reported engine
NONE NONE
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
90 total
N4022XRegistered now · Cameron Balloons US C-80S/N 6073 · Built 1996Airframe modelCameron Balloons US C-80Engine 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.

The student pilot who owns the balloon planned an instructional flight with a certified flight instructor (CFI).

The CFI became unavailable.

The balloon owner asked another pilot to fly the balloon with her as a passenger.

They had a smooth early morning launch.

The pilot flew the balloon to an open area to demonstrate a steep approach.

As they prepared to land, the passenger braced herself by holding onto one of the uprights with an extended arm.

The balloon landed without any issues.

After landing, the pilot began to demonstrate "ground tracking" or skimming along the ground.

The passenger stayed in her brace position during the demonstration.

While skimming, the basket hit some brush and started to bounce.

The impact of the second bounce caused the upright the passenger was holding using to brace to break.

During this, the passenger fractured her left upper arm.

The passenger cried out in pain, alerting the pilot.

The pilot quickly landed the balloon by turning off the burner and pulling the rip cord.

As the FAA filed it

THE STUDENT PILOT WHO OWNS THE BALLOON PLANNED AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI).

THE CFI BECAME UNAVAILABLE.

THE BALLOON OWNER ASKED ANOTHER PILOT TO FLY THE BALLOON WITH HER AS A PASSENGER.

THEY HAD A SMOOTH EARLY MORNING LAUNCH.

THE PILOT FLEW THE BALLOON TO AN OPEN AREA TO DEMONSTRATE A STEEP APPROACH.

AS THEY PREPARED TO LAND, THE PASSENGER BRACED HERSELF BY HOLDING ONTO ONE OF THE UPRIGHTS WITH AN EXTENDED ARM.

THE BALLOON LANDED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.

AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT BEGAN TO DEMONSTRATE "GROUND TRACKING" OR SKIMMING ALONG THE GROUND.

THE PASSENGER STAYED IN HER BRACE POSITION DURING THE DEMONSTRATION.

WHILE SKIMMING, THE BASKET HIT SOME BRUSH AND STARTED TO BOUNCE.

THE IMPACT OF THE SECOND BOUNCE CAUSED THE UPRIGHT THE PASSENGER WAS HOLDING USING TO BRACE TO BREAK.

DURING THIS, THE PASSENGER FRACTURED HER LEFT UPPER ARM.

THE PASSENGER CRIED OUT IN PAIN, ALERTING THE PILOT.

THE PILOT QUICKLY LANDED THE BALLOON BY TURNING OFF THE BURNER AND PULLING THE RIP CORD.