# NTSB FTW97LA068: Raven S-60A, N4396K, Rio Rancho, NM, December 21, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 21, 1996, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC) - Place: Rio Rancho, NM - Location: 35.2334° N, 106.6645° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Rio Rancho, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2334&lon=-106.6645&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20132 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW97LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20132/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA068 ## Probable cause The passenger's failure to follow recommended procedures to properly brace for a high wind landing. A factor was the windshear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor) - procedures/directives - not followed, passenger (cause) ## Analysis At takeoff, the surface wind speed was less than 4 knots. However, by the time of landing, the wind speed had increased to 12 to 15 knots. The pilot stated that the 'approach was normal with passengers braced for a high speed landing.' She followed 'standard procedure' for a high speed landing and pulled the top out of the balloon at about 15 to 20 feet agl. As the top was pulled, the balloon was 'hit by a windshear causing the air to exit faster than normal, and therefore, a hard landing.' According to one of the passengers, who was a commercial balloon pilot, there was nothing 'unusual or threatening to our normal descent in preparation for a landing. The 'windshear' seemed to 'throw' us straight down.' During the touchdown, one of the passengers, who was a balloon student pilot, broke his arm when he slid forward and fell against one of the propane tanks. ## Factual narrative On December 21, 1996, at 0920 mountain standard time, a Raven S-60A hot air balloon, N4396K, registered to and operated by a private owner, landed hard near Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The balloon was not damaged. The private pilot was not injured, one passenger sustained a minor injury, and the other passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal local flight that originated 1 hour prior to the accident. According to the pilot, at takeoff the surface wind speed was less than 4 knots; however, by the time of landing, the wind speed had increased to 12 to 15 knots. The pilot stated that the "approach was normal with passengers braced for a high speed landing." She further stated that she followed "standard procedure" for a high speed landing and pulled the top out of the balloon at about 15 to 20 feet agl. As the top was pulled, the balloon was "hit by a windshear causing the air to exit faster than normal, and therefore, a hard landing." During the touchdown, one of the passengers, who was a balloon student pilot, broke his arm when he "slipped" and fell against one of the propane tanks. According to the other passenger, who was a commercial balloon pilot, "there was nothing I could observe unusual or threatening to our normal descent in preparation for a landing. The "windshear" seemed to "throw" us straight down." She stated that the passenger who broke his arm "was in the center of the basket and appeared to slide forward while we were dragging to a stop." She further stated that "the impact was not more severe than I have experienced, however, it was hard." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4396K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4396K-2017-05-23), registration cancelled 2017-05-23, S/N S60A-333, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Raven S-60A - Registry model: [Raven S-60A](https://openairdocs.org/model/raven-s-60a) (registry code 7480606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: S60A-333 - Airframe hours: 286 - Engines: unknown - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Denise P. Simon - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 30, 1996, 20 hours before - Departed: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; private; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 304 total, 120 in this make and model, 280 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 135° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19961221042329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961221042329A), Dec 21, 1996: Raven S60A, Rio Rancho, NM. During high wind landing pulled top open to drop in at 20FT AGL. Wind gust caused high delation and hard impact. (-23) on December 21, 1996, at 0918 MST, a… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.