# NTSB DEN05CA009: Thunder and Colt 180A, N784TC, Albuquerque, NM, October 9, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 9, 2004, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.180557, -106.606109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1806&lon=-106.6061&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 minor, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 60326 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05CA009 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60326/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05CA009 ## Probable cause the balloon pilot's improper in-flight planning and failure to maintain aircraft control during descent into high winds resulting in a hard landing and subsequent serious injury to a passenger. Factors contributing to the accident were the high winds and excessive descent rate. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, descent - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - Hard landing, landing - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - descent - excessive (contributing factor) - Miscellaneous/other, landing ## Analysis According to the pilot, during the hot air balloon's descent, he noticed that the surface winds had increased to approximately 18 knots. The pilot prepared his passengers for a high-wind landing. The balloon landed hard and bounced. One passenger, who remained in the balloon's basket, received a broken ankle. A second passenger, who remained in the basket, and two passengers who were ejected from the basket, each received minor cuts and scratches. The balloon was not damaged. ## Factual narrative On October 9, 2004, at approximately 0830 mountain daylight time, a Thunder & Colt 180A hot air balloon, N784TC, operated by High But Dry Balloon's, Inc., sustained a hard landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The sightseeing flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The balloon was not damaged. However, one passenger received serious injuries and three passengers received minor injuries. The pilot and two other passengers on board were not injured. The flight originated at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico, at approximately 0710. The pilot stated that, during the descent, he noticed that the surface winds had increased to approximately 18 knots. The pilot prepared his passengers for a high-wind landing by having them tow their cameras, get down in the bottom of the basket, and hold on to the handles inside the basket. The balloon landed hard and bounced. One passenger, who remained in the balloon's basket, received a broken ankle. A second passenger, who remained in the basket, and two passengers who were ejected from the basket, each received minor cuts and scratches. At 0856, the recorded wind condition at Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), (9 nautical miles at 195 degrees, elevation 5,355 feet msl), was: wind, 350 degrees at 9 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N784TC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N784TC-2018-03-20), registration cancelled 2018-03-20, S/N 2437USA (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Thunder and Colt 180A - Registry model: [Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer COLT 180A](https://openairdocs.org/model/thunder-colt-airborne-amer-colt-180a) (registry code 2301219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 2437 - Airframe hours: 176 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: High But Dry Balloon's, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 5, 2004, 29 hours before - Departed: Albuquerque, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; commercial; last flight review August 16, 2003; flight hours: 345 total, 345 in this make and model, 329 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: KABQ, 9 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20041009024269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041009024269A), Oct 9, 2004: Colt COLT180A, Albuquerque, NM. (-23) On October 09, 2004 at 0830 MST, N784TC, a thunder and Colt TC-180A hot air balloon operated by high but dry balloons, performed a hard landing near the… 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.