# NTSB CEN13LA032: Aerostar International RX8, N90550, Albuquerque, NM, October 10, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 2012, 08:50 local (14:50 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.100229, -106.65655 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1002&lon=-106.6565&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 85453 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85453/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85453 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA032 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to attain the desired touchdown point because of wind conditions and surrounding obstructions, which resulted in the balloon impacting a fence during the approach to landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis After attending a mandatory preflight briefing at a balloon festival, the pilot launched his balloon with the first group of balloons to launch. During an approach for landing in a field, the balloon encountered stronger-than-expected wind. The approach to the landing crossed power lines, a commercial building, and a fence. The pilot stated that as the balloon approached the field, it became unresponsive and impacted the fence; he thought that the balloon encountered a "false heavy," or wind shear, which resulted in a loss of lift. ## Factual narrative On October 10, 2012, about 0850 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar International Inc, RX 8, N90550, experienced a high wind landing and impact with a fence near Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the International Balloon Fiesta 2012. The balloon sustained substantial damage to the basket and envelope. The private pilot was uninjured and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The balloon was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the flight that departed from the Balloon Fiesta Field (AIBF), near Albuquerque, New Mexico, about 0800. The pilot stated that after attending a mandatory pilot briefing at AIBF, the balloon was launched with the first wave of balloons. About 45 minutes after the launch, an approach for landing was made near the Frito Lay Distribution Center where the pilot found the winds were faster than forecasted. The balloon descended from a "quicker" wind layer and the pilot found the balloon unresponsive in attempts to level out and land the balloon just south of a fenced area; however, the balloon impacted the fence. The pilot believed that there was a rotor type wind coming off a higher area to the east. The balloon experienced a false heavy, and the balloon became unresponsive, forcing it into the fence. The wind pushed the balloon further west and hampered the location of the intended landing. There were east/west power lines near the north side of the Frito Lay Distribution Center. The area south of fence was a field that did not contain any structure for about 300 feet. The southern edge of the field was delineated by at an east/west road. The were also other buildings south of the east/west road. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90550](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N90550), registered now, S/N RX8-3297, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL RX8 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Aerostar International RX 8](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rx-8) (registry code 7487008) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: RX8-3297 - Airframe hours: 435 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Individual - Registered owner: Individual - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 20, 2012 - Departed: AIBF, Albuquerque, NM - Destination: Albuquerque, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; last flight review August 21, 2011; flight hours: 124 total, 84 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: ABQ, 2 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 20121010022939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121010022939A), Oct 10, 2012: Aerostar International Inc RX 8, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. N90550 departed balloon fiesta field during the 2012 Albuquerque international balloon fiesta. After takeoff the winds began to increase. Pilot elected to land… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 12, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85453. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 960 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391678&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392416&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Area Map (item 3, .PDF, 369 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391682&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Area%20Map-Master.PDF - Landing Area Map (item 4, .PDF, 259 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391681&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Landing%20Area%20Map-Master.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. --- 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.