- Date
- October 10, 2001, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 10 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N52760Aerostar International S81A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20011010032259A
- Case key
- 53615
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 selection of an unsuitable landing area by the pilot. 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 attempted a landing to an asphalt parking lot, which contained a small building and automobiles. The balloon basket touched down and dragged along the asphalt approximately 60-80 feet. The balloon and basket impacted the small building and a powerline. Upon impact with the building, one passenger sustained a fractured shoulder. The pilot stated the wind at the time of the landing was approximately 10-12 knots.
Factual narrative
On October 10, 2001, at 0830 mountain daylight time, an Aerostar International Inc. S81A balloon, N52760, contacted a small building during a high wind landing to a parking lot of the New Mexico State Fairgrounds, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and nine passengers were not injured, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The balloon was registered to and operated by Miles High Inc., d.b.a. Park City Balloon Adventures, Park City, Utah. 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, Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 0745.
In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that he attempted a landing to an asphalt parking lot, which contained a small building and automobiles. The balloon basket touched down and dragged along the asphalt approximately 60-80 feet. The balloon and basket impacted the small building and a powerline. Upon impact with the building, one passenger sustained a fractured shoulder. The balloon envelope was not damaged and the wicker basket sustained minor damage. The pilot stated the wind at the time of the landing was approximately 10-12 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52760
- Reported as
- Aerostar International S81A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- S81A-3009
- Airframe hours
- 248
- Engine
- Aero Engines
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Miles High Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 4, 2001 · 39 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- Albuquerque
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- March 6, 2001
- Flight hours
- 2,874 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 2,874 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.