- Date
- August 29, 2004, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 6 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4503VCameron Balloons A-210
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Albuquerque Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20040829023339A
- Case key
- 60014
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 passenger losing her balance during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the increased wind velocity.
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
According to the pilot, the flight had been uneventful; however, the winds had increased in velocity. The winds according to the pilot, at the time of landing, were between 8 and 9 knots. During the landing, the ground crew grabbed the basket and assisted it down to the ground. One passenger fell forward during the landing, twisting her ankle and breaking it. No other anomalies were noted.
Factual narrative
On August 29, 2004, at approximately 0810 mountain daylight time, a passenger sustained serious injuries while on board a Cameron Balloons A-210, N4503V. The balloon, piloted by a commercial pilot, was not damaged during landing approximately 7 miles northwest of Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The scenic flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and four other passengers reported no injuries. The local flight originated at approximately 0650.
According to the pilot, the flight had been uneventful; however, the winds had increased in velocity. The winds according to the pilot, at the time of landing, were between 8 and 9 knots. During the landing, the ground crew grabbed the basket and assisted it down to the ground. The basket did not hit hard, nor did it tip over. One passenger fell forward during the landing, twisting her ankle and breaking it. No other anomalies were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4503V
- Reported as
- Cameron Balloons A-210
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 6363
- Airframe hours
- 29.4
- Engine
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Star Trail, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- June 23, 2004 · 29.4 hours before
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Airport
- ABQ · Albuquerque Intl
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- April 6, 2004
- Flight hours
- 3,850 total · 584 in this make and model · 3,840 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 7 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.