- Date
- October 3, 2004, 11:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Chama, NM
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- DOYESWorner Balloon Works NL-1000
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 60287
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 lightning strike and subsequent failure of the balloon's envelope, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain.
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, while participating in an endurance competition, he heard a "loud" bang and saw a "flash." He then noticed a large "L" shaped tear in the balloon's envelope as the balloon began to descend "rapidly." The balloon impacted mountainous terrain at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The pilot and passenger each sustained a broken ankle.
Factual narrative
On October 3, 2004, at approximately 1120 mountain daylight time, a Worner Balloon Works NL-1000 helium-filled gas balloon, German registration DOYES, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when it was struck by lightning while in cruise flight at 12,000 feet msl in the vicinity of Chama, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The cross-country flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The flight originated at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico, on October 2, 2004, at approximately 2020.
According to the pilot, they were participating in the 2004 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta's Endurance Competition. The pilot stated that, while en route over the Chama area, he heard a "loud" bang and saw a "flash." He then noticed a large "L" shaped tear in the balloon's envelope as the balloon began to descend "rapidly." The balloon impacted mountainous terrain at an elevation of 8,000 feet, approximately 1/2 mile east of Chama. The pilot and passenger each sustained a broken ankle. The lightning strike and ground impact forces destroyed the balloon.
The pilot did not provide a Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) for this accident report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- DOYES
- Reported as
- Worner Balloon Works NL-1000
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 1064
- Airframe hours
- 250
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bruce Wade Hale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- Albuquerque, NM
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Last flight review
- September 12, 2004
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 301 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- KSKX, 47 nm away