- Date
- October 8, 2005, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Globe, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5161YAerostar RX-8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20051008029079A
- Case key
- 62685
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 encounter with a wind gust during 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 balloon was damaged and the pilot injured after encountering a wind gust during a landing. After receiving a weather report with no notation of adverse conditions, the pilot launched the balloon for a pleasure flight in the desert landscape. After several hours he opted to touchdown below a ridge located next to a road. After the basket contacted the surface, a gust of wind dragged the balloon over the ridge, resulting in substantial damage to the foot well and broomstick; the pilot sustained a broken ankle. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5161Y
- Reported as
- Aerostar RX-8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX8-3318
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Globe, AZ
- Destination
- Globe, AZ
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Flight hours
- 228 total · 180 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5161Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.