# NTSB DEN03LA081: Aerostar International S66A-3060, N7179Z, Albuquerque, NM, May 17, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 17, 2003, 07:40 local (13:40 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.138889, -106.619445 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1389&lon=-106.6194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57063 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57063/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA081 ## 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 In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - berm (contributing factor) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7179Z-2017-02-28), registration cancelled 2017-02-28, S/N S66A-3060, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerostar International S66A-3060 - Registry model: [Aerostar International S-66A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-s-66a) (registry code 7486066) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030517009649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030517009649A), May 17, 2003: Raven S66A, Albuquerque, NM. (-23) On may 17, 2003, at 0800 MDT, a Aerostar international, S-66A, N7179Z, registered to skyspan adventures LLC, landed hard with a basket tip-over when the… ## Other investigations on N7179Z (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN08LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA004), Oct 8, 2007: Aerostar S-66A (N7179Z), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate visual lookout and clearance resulting in an in-flight collision with power lines, and the ground crew's improper assistance. Contributing to this accident… 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.