# NTSB CEN10CA015: Aerostar International RX8, N4014J, Albuquerque, NM, October 8, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 8, 2009, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.121944, -106.653053 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1219&lon=-106.6531&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 29, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Albuquerque FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74907
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA015
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74907/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74907
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA015

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to select an adequate landing area.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition; cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md)
- [Other: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Analysis

After a morning balloon flight of more than one hour the private pilot was making her third attempt at landing. On the previous attempts a slight wind shift to the left was taking the balloon away from the target area and into unacceptable obstructions. The pilot said she was aware that “fuel was an issue” and she knew she did not have enough fuel to cross the congested downtown metropolitan area ahead. She picked a parking lot with one end empty of vehicles as her landing area. After crossing the wires on the edge of the parking lot she “ripped out pulling the vent line as far as (she) could”. The pilot joined her passengers at the bottom of the balloon's basket for the expected hard landing as balloon skidded across the parking lot and struck a concrete barrier. Becoming airborne again, the basket then struck and damaged a building and fell approximately six feet to the ground. One passenger sustained a fractured ankle. The other occupants were not injured and the balloon sustained minor damage.

## Factual narrative

After a morning balloon flight of more than one hour the private pilot was making her third attempt at landing. On the previous attempts a slight wind shift to the left was taking the balloon away from the target area and into unacceptable obstructions. The pilot said she was aware that “fuel was an issue” and she knew she did not have enough fuel to cross the congested downtown metropolitan area ahead. She picked a parking lot with one end empty of vehicles as her landing area. After crossing the wires on the edge of the parking lot she “ripped out pulling the vent line as far as (she) could”. The pilot joined her passengers at the bottom of the balloon's basket for the expected hard landing as balloon skidded across the parking lot and struck a concrete barrier. Becoming airborne again, the basket then struck and damaged a building and fell approximately six feet to the ground. One passenger sustained a fractured ankle. The other occupants were not injured and the balloon sustained minor damage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4014J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4014J-2021-01-12), registration cancelled 2021-01-12, S/N RX8-3284, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL RX8
- Registry model: [Aerostar International RX 8](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rx-8) (registry code 7487008) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: RX8-3284
- Airframe hours: 377
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 28, 2009
- Departed: Albuquerque, NM
- Destination: Albuquerque, NM
- Airport: KABQ, Albuquerque Intl Sunport

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; last flight review March 21, 2008; flight hours: 57 total, 45 in this make and model, 39 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: KABQ, 6 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20091008019999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091008019999A), Oct 8, 2009: Arostr RX8, Albuquerque, NM, Minor damage. On October 8, 2009 at 0930 MDT, N4014J, an aereostar RX-8 hot air balloon, landed in a parking lot near 10th st and candelaria in Albuquerque, NM. The pilot…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74907. 260 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 260 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320569&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF

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.

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