- Date
- October 8, 1992, 07:32 local (13:32 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 4 minor, 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19921008042542A19921008042541A
- Case key
- 18595
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 visual lookout.
The pilot of the other aircraft's failure to maintain visual lookout.
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 of balloon 'a' initiated an ascent from approximately 200 feet AGL at an estimated rate of 300 feet per minute. The pilot stated another balloon impacted his envelope with its basket at an estimated 350 feet AGL. The upper portion of the balloon's fabric was torn and ruptured. Balloon 'a' pilot initiated an emergency descent and landed hard. The pilot of balloon 'b' stated her altitude to be approximately 500 feet AGL when the midair occurred. She stated when she saw balloon 'a' she started burning continuously and observed an ascent rate of 500 feet per minute on her VSI. After impact she untangled the basket from the other balloon's envelope and made a normal landing. The FAA inspector reported the sequence of events as described by ground observers to be more near the statement made by the pilot of balloon 'a'. He also stated any balloon positioned higher than others is responsible to 'see and avoid'.
The pilot of balloon 'a' initiated an ascent from approximately 200 feet AGL at an estimated rate of 300 feet per minute. The pilot stated another balloon impacted his envelope with its basket at an estimated 350 feet AGL. The upper portion of the balloons fabric was torn and ruptured. Balloon 'a' pilot initiated an emergency descent and landed hard. The pilot of balloon 'b' stated her altitude to be approximately 500 feet AGL when the midair occurred. She stated when she saw balloon 'a' she started burning continuously and observed an ascent rate of 500 feet per minute on her VSI. After impact she untangled the basket from the other balloon's envelope and made a normal landing. The FAA inspector reported the sequence of events as described by ground observers to be more near the statement made by the pilot of balloon 'a'. He also stated any balloon positioned higher than others is responsible to 'see and avoid'.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N8EN
- Reported as
- Raven S-60A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 305
- Airframe hours
- 529
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Butterfield, Richard S.
- Registered owner
- Butterfield, Richard S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1992 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- 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.
- Registration
- N57115
- Reported as
- Raven S55A
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 663
- Airframe hours
- 415
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Martin-Rowlee, Judith L.
- Registered owner
- Martin-Rowlee, Judith L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 1991 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N8EN
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Flight hours
- 3,828 total · 154 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N57115
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 264 total · 255 in this make and model · 250 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.