# NTSB CEN16LA030: Aerostar RX8, N5294Q, Albuquerque, NM, October 10, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 2015, 08:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.180522, -106.590553 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1805&lon=-106.5906&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92291 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92291/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92291 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA030 ## Probable cause The pilot's delay in deflating the balloon envelope completely after landing, which resulted in a loss of control due to a wind gust. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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) - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Aerostar International RX 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7487008), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis After 50 minutes of flight, the commercial pilot landed the balloon and waited for his ground handling crew to arrive. One passenger exited the basket and the pilot and second passenger remained in the basket. When the ground crew arrived, the second passenger and pilot were beginning to exit the basket when a gust of wind pushed the envelope and basket over to a 45° angle. The pilot asked the passenger to hold on and began pulling the envelope deflation line. After a few seconds, the wind shifted and rotated the basket. The pilot and passenger were tossed out of the basket onto the ground. The passenger fell, resulting in a fracture of her shoulder. The nearest weather reporting facility, located about 15 nautical miles from the accident site, reported wind at 12 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was variable at 3 knots and gusting to 14 knots. The pilot's delay in pulling the vent line completely and deflating the balloon envelope likely made the balloon uncontrollable when the wind gusted. The pilot stated that he should have had the passenger sit down in the bottom of the basket and should have had the ground crew person release the line when the wind shifted. ## Factual narrative On October 9, 2015, about 0840 mountain standard time, a Aerostar RX8 Balloon, N5294Q, registered to the pilot, encountered a gust of wind after landing. Of the three occupants, the pilot and one passenger were not injured and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The local personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico, about 0750. The pilot stated that after about 50 minutes of flight, he landed the balloon and waited for his ground crew to arrive. One passenger exited the basket and the second passenger remained in the basket. When the ground crew arrived, the second passenger and pilot were beginning to exit the basket when a gust of wind pushed the envelope and basket over at a 45-degree angle. The pilot told the passenger to hold on and began pulling the envelope deflation red line. After a few seconds, the wind shifted 90-degrees and pushed the envelope and rotated the basket 90 degrees. The pilot and passenger were tossed out of the basket onto the ground. The passenger fell on her right shoulder and struck her head on the burner frame. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance and treated for a fracture of the right shoulder. About the time of the accident, the nearest weather reporting facility, Albuquerque International Sunport, Albuquerque, New Mexico, located about 15 nautical miles from the accident site, reported wind from 080 degrees at 12 knots. The pilot reported on NTSB Form 6120 that the winds were variable at 3 knots and gusting to 14 knots. The pilot offered a safety recommendation in the submitted NTSB Form 6120. He stated that he should have had the passenger sit down in the bottom of the basket and should have had the ground line ground crew person release the line when the wind shifted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5294Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5294Q), registered now, S/N RX8-3347, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AEROSTAR 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: 3347 - Year built: 2001 - Airframe hours: 172.4 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, September 11, 2015 - Departed: Albuquerque, NM - Destination: Albuquerque, NM - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review September 15, 2015; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 216 total, 216 in this make and model, 183 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 12 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.42 inHg - Observed at: ABQ, 15 nm away ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92291. 317 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 256 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40453749&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for the Record - FAA Statement on Photos (item 2, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40453750&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Statement%20on%20Photos-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.