- Date
- October 6, 1990, 19:05 local (Oct 7, 1990, 01:05 UTC)
- Place
- Cedar Crest, NM
- Injuries
- 5 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N90240Balloon Works AX9
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901006045079A
- Case key
- 18048
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
Pilot's delayed precautionary landing and the subseuqent fuel exhaustion. A factor was the encounter with high winds in flight.
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
A balloon flight over the city resulted in the balloon being carried over the sandia mountains. The pilot said he encountered worse winds after crossing the mountains, and estimated the winds were 090 degrees at 24, gusting to 40 knots. The pilot attempted a high wind landing and struck several trees. The envelope, gondola, and suspension lines were substantially damaged, and the occupants received minor injuries. The pilot failed to report the accident until the FAA contacted him. The investigation showed the balloon had no fuel left to climb or maneuver, making the high wind landing the only option.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90240
- Reported as
- Balloon Works AX9
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- F9-012
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Balloons Above The Valley
- Departed
- NONE · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 670 total · 670 in this make and model · 670 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 24 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.