- Date
- October 10, 1995, 09:13 local (15:13 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9153XAerostar RX 8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951010033109A
- Case key
- 19685
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 in-flight planning/decision. The variable wind condition was a related factor.
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 reported a wind velocity of 0 to 5 knots from the north/northeast. After aborting several approaches, the pilot selected a landing area and briefed the passengers of a possible bounce. The pilot 'intentionally did not flare' the balloon. The balloon 'bounced once, but then stayed grounded.' One passenger experienced shoulder pain, and medical x-rays indicated a fracture.
Factual narrative
On October 10, 1995, at 0913 mountain daylight time, a passenger received serious injury during the landing of an Aerostar RX 8, N9153X, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The private pilot and the other passenger did not receive injuries and the balloon was not damaged. The balloon was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from the Balloon Fiesta launch site in Albuquerque, New Mexico, earlier that day. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.
During an interview, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that one of the passengers experienced shoulder pain following the balloon landing. Medical x-rays indicated a fracture.
On the Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot reported a wind velocity from zero to 5 knots from the north/northeast. On the enclosed statement the pilot reported aborting several approaches due to a the "size" of the landing area, "ground winds, and/or power lines." Passengers were briefed on the landing and were "warned" that "we could bounce." The pilot "intentionally did not flare" the balloon. The balloon "bounced once, but then stayed grounded."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9153X
- Reported as
- Aerostar RX 8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX8-3183
- Airframe hours
- 64
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Curt D. Hench
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 6, 1995 · 18 hours before
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
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 95 total · 57 in this make and model · 81 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.