- Date
- January 18, 1986, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rio Rancho, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N3SBCameron 0-77
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860118001529A
- Case key
- 16916
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt stated that during the inflation of his balloon, the safety line holding the basket to his support vehicle broke during windy conditions. According to the plt, he tried to inflate the envelope in order to climb above buildings nearby. The plt indicated he was unable to gain enough alt before colliding with the buildings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3SB
- Reported as
- Cameron 0-77
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 130
- Airframe hours
- 312
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry R Whitlow
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 31, 1985
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 352 total · 352 in this make and model · 327 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 10 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.