- Date
- October 13, 2001, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5260EAerostar RXS-8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20011013036769A
- Case key
- 53610
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 failure to maintain clearance with a power line during landing. A contributing factor was the high wind during the landing.
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 pilot was attempting to land the balloon in a large grass ball field. After clearing power lines adjacent to the landing area, the pilot fully deployed the balloon envelope vent. The balloon basket "made hard contact with the ground. A second contact was made and the balloon started to drag." The balloon envelope contacted power lines; subsequently, the pilot and passengers sustained electrical burns. The balloon basket came to rest against a set of bleachers at the ball field. Airport personnel, located 1/2 mile from the accident site, reported the wind from 360 degrees at 19 knots.
Factual narrative
On October 13, 2001, at 0900 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar RXS-8 balloon, N5260E, was substantially damaged after impacting power lines during a high wind landing near the Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries, one passenger sustained serious injuries, and one passenger was not injured. The balloon was owned and operated by Hunterdon Balloon Co., of Flemington, New Jersey. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The local balloon flight departed Balloon Fiesta Park at 0808.
In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that after a "short hop" flight, he was attempting to land in a large grass ball field. After clearing power lines adjacent to the landing area, the pilot fully deployed the balloon envelope vent. The balloon basket "made hard contact with the ground. A second contact was made and the balloon started to drag." The balloon envelope contacted power lines; subsequently, the pilot and passengers sustained electrical burns. The balloon basket came to rest against a set of bleachers at the ball field.
At 0756, the Albuquerque weather observation facility, located 1/2 mile south of the accident site, reported wind from 010 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 45 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury.
According to the Albuquerque International Airport air traffic control tower personnel, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 360 degrees at 19 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5260E
- Reported as
- Aerostar RXS-8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RXS-8-3100
- Airframe hours
- 175
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hunterdon Balloon Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 2001 · 55.5 hours before
- Departed
- Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- 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
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- August 25, 2000
- Flight hours
- 175 total · 175 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC)
- Wind
- 360° at 19 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.