- Date
- November 6, 1999, 08:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Artesia, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9105ZAerostar RXS-8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991106036959A
- Case key
- 47800
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Prior to landing, the pilot observed the winds to be between 10 and 12 knots, and she briefed her passengers on high wind landing procedures, specifically with regard to proper positioning for landing. Upon landing, the balloon's basket tipped and one of the passengers (weighing over 300 lbs.) lost his hold on the basket and fell on top of the second passenger (weighing 150 lbs.). The passenger who was fallen on received a broken ankle.
Factual narrative
On November 6, 1999, approximately 0815 mountain standard time, an Aerostar RXS-8 balloon, N9105Z, registered to and operated by the pilot, was not damaged when it landed hard near Artesia, New Mexico. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; however, one passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at 0745.
According to the pilot, she received a weather briefing at 0600 on the morning of the accident. The winds were reported to be between 5 to 8 knots and diminishing. Takeoff was normal, and they remained airborne for 30 minutes. While descending, she observed the winds to be between 10 and 12 knots. She stated that she briefed her passengers on high wind landing procedures. According to the Aerostar RXS-8 flight manual, the pilot is instructed to brief the passengers to: a. Put on protective helmets immediately; b. Face direction of travel; c. Hold on to basket aluminum superstructure; d. Bend knees slightly, muscles tense; e. Observe landing progression; and f. Remain in basket until instructed otherwise.
Upon landing, the basket tipped and one of the passengers (weighing over 300 lbs.) lost his hold on the basket and fell on top of the second passenger (weighing 150 lbs.). The passenger that was fallen on suffered a broken ankle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9105Z
- Reported as
- Aerostar RXS-8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RXS8-3024
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Nicole A. Sylvester
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · NM
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 45 total · 37 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9105Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.