- Date
- October 9, 1998, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 5 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N790TCThunder and Colt AX8-90 S 2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981009029069I
- Case key
- 45113
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 pilot's improper planning for his landing site approach which resulted in the balloon landing in close proximity to electrical transmission lines.
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 balloon had landed and was disembarking its occupants when the envelope became entangled in adjacent transmission wires. One passenger reported receiving an electrical shock, and was later examined at a local hospital. The pilot said that the envelope could not be extracted from the wires until the power was shut off, subsequently, approximately 25 envelope panels were destroyed. The reported wind at Albuquerque International Airport at the time of the accident was 160 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot failed to fill out and return a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2.
Factual narrative
On October 9, 1998, approximately 1130 mountain daylight time, a Thunder & Colt AX8-90 S 2 balloon, N790TC, was substantially damaged when the envelope became entangled in transmission wires while disembarking its passengers in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pilot and three passengers were not injured; however, one passenger received minor injuries. The balloon was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the commercial sight-seeing flight which originated approximately one hour before the accident. No flight plan had been filed.
According to the FAA inspector, the balloon had landed and was disembarking its occupants when the envelope became entangled in adjacent transmission wires. One passenger reported receiving an electrical shock, and was later examined at a local hospital. The pilot said that the envelope could not be extracted from the wires until the power was shut off, subsequently, approximately 25 envelope panels were destroyed.
The reported wind at Albuquerque International Airport at the time of the accident was 160 degrees at 7 knots.
The pilot was interviewed by telephone and was sent three successive Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Reports, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, in an attempt to get more information about the accident. The pilot failed to fill out and return any of the forms.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N790TC
- Reported as
- Thunder and Colt AX8-90 S 2
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 2526USA
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joe A. Smith
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 4 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.