- Date
- May 17, 2003, 07:40 local (13:40 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7179ZAerostar International S66A-3060
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030517009649A
- Case key
- 57063
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a high wind landing, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors include the high wind and the berm.
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
The pilot stated that, at 100 feet above ground level, his GPS indicated a ground speed of 15 mph. As he was getting ready to land, he noticed that the GPS was indicating 18 mph. He briefed his passengers and prepared them for a "high wind" landing. As the balloon hit the ground, the GPS was indicating 12 mph. The pilot pulled the deflation vent and the balloon's envelope began to collapse. The balloon slid a few feet and the basket struck a 2 foot high berm. The basket tipped over and the balloon slid another 70 feet. The balloon was not damaged; however during the impact, one passenger injured her knee and a second passenger suffered a broken ankle.
Factual narrative
On May 17, 2003, at 0740 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar International S66A-3060 balloon, N7179Z, owned and operated by Skyspan Adventures LLC., was involved in a hard landing at The Gravel Pit, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pilot and three passengers were not injured; however, one passenger received serious injuries and one passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this local sightseeing flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from The Gravel Pit at approximately 0645.
The pilot stated that, at 100 feet above ground level, his global positioning system (GPS), indicated a ground speed of 15 mph. As he was getting ready to land, he noticed that the GPS was indicating a ground speed of 18 mph. He briefed his passengers and prepared them for a "high wind" landing. As the balloon hit the ground, the GPS was indicating a ground speed of 12 mph. He pulled the deflation vent and the balloon's envelope began to collapse. The balloon slid a few feet and the basket struck a 2 foot high berm. The basket tipped over and the balloon slid another 70 feet. The balloon was not damaged; however, during the impact, one passenger injured her knee and a second passenger suffered a broken ankle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7179Z
- Reported as
- Aerostar International S66A-3060
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S66A-3060
- Airframe hours
- 61.5
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Skyspan Adventures LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2003 · 5.2 hours before
- Departed
- Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- Albuquerque, NM
- Airport
- The Gravel Pit
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- December 16, 2002
- Flight hours
- 1,675 total · 3 in this make and model · 1,640 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
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 N7179Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.