# NTSB FTW97LA069: Aerostar RX-8, N6310T, Rio Rancho, NM, December 22, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 22, 1996, 08:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Rio Rancho, NM - Coordinates: 35.270401, -106.660186 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2704&lon=-106.6602&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20133 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW97LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20133/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA069 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent flight into high wind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - high wind (cause) - flight into adverse weather - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot reported that she received a weather briefing at approximately 0610 that morning from the Albuquerque FSS. The pilot reported that the balloon flight began at 0750 with 'winds at approximately 6 knots or less.' Approximately 3 to 4 miles northwest of the launch site the pilot 'lowered the balloon to river level and drifted along at 2 to 3 miles per hour for 20 to 30 minutes.' As the balloon rose out of the river valley, the wind shifted to 210 degrees and increased to 15 to 20 MPH. The pilot stated that it took her approximately 20 minutes to locate a 'safe' landing area and by then the wind speed had increased to 20 to 25 MPH. Upon landing, the pilot 'deployed the deflation port,' but the impact was such that two passengers were 'bounced out of the basket.' One of the passengers fell forward and was seriously injured due to being 'run over' by the basket. ## Factual narrative On December 22, 1996, at 0850 mountain standard time, an Aerostar RX-8 hot air balloon, N6310T, was not damaged during a hard landing near Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and two of the passengers were not injured; however, a third passenger sustained serious injuries. The balloon was registered to and operated by a private owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country commercial flight which originated from the Albuquerque Balloon Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, approximately 60 minutes before the accident. No flight plan was filed. The pilot reported in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report that she received a weather briefing at approximately 0610 that morning from the Albuquerque FSS. The pilot reported that the balloon flight began at 0750 with "winds at approximately 6 knots or less." Approximately 3 to 4 miles northwest of the launch site, the pilot "lowered the balloon to river level and drifted along at 2 to 3 miles per hour for 20 to 30 minutes." The pilot reported that as the balloon climbed from the river valley the wind shifted to 210 degrees and increased to 15 to 20 MPH. She further reported that it took her approximately 20 minutes to locate a "safe" landing area and by then the wind speed had increased to 20 to 25 MPH. Upon landing, the pilot "deployed the deflation port," but the impact was such that two passengers were "bounced out of the basket." One of the passengers fell forward and was seriously injured due to being "run over" by the basket. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6310T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6310T-2018-09-13), registration cancelled 2018-09-13, S/N RX8-3083 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerostar RX-8 - Registry model: [Aerostar International RX 8](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerostar-international-rx-8) (registry code 7487008) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 3083 - Airframe hours: 382 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Cheryl Mason - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 1996, 37 hours before - Departed: NONE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; commercial; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 568 total, 220 in this make and model, 542 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 20 knots, gusting 25 - 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 19961222039739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961222039739A), Dec 22, 1996: Arostr RX8, Rio Rancho, NM. Made hard high wind landing. Two passengers were ejected. Basket ran over one passenger. (-23) on December 22, 1996, at 0845 MST, an Aerostar RX-8 hot air… 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.