# NTSB WPR22LA010: Richardson Andrew P RICHARDSON-75, N518UR, Alburquerque, NM, October 5, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 5, 2021, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place: Alburquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.19211, -106.61874 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1921&lon=-106.6187&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104101
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104101/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104101
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA010

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper descent rate during the balloon’s approach to landing, which resulted in a hard landing and serious passenger injury.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Richardson Andrew P RICHARDSON-75, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05633ON), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Wind: sudden wind shift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Richardson Andrew P RICHARDSON-75, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md?model=05633ON), [All aircraft, 114 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Richardson Andrew P RICHARDSON-75, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=05633ON), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Richardson Andrew P RICHARDSON-75, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05633ON), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that as the balloon descended to land, about 45-60 ft above ground level, the winds were sustained out of the southwest about 9 to 11 mph. During the landing, the basket touched down firmly, tilted to the side, and then drug along the ground for about 20 ft before coming to rest upright. During the landing sequence, the passenger sustained a serious leg injury. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N518UR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N518UR), registered now, S/N 007, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RICHARDSON ANDREW P RICHARDSON-75
- Registry model: [Richardson Andrew P RICHARDSON-75](https://openairdocs.org/model/richardson-andrew-p-richardson-75) (registry code 05633ON) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 007
- Year built: 2015
- Airframe hours: 260.7
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection: Annual, February 23, 2021
- Departed: Albuquerque, NM
- Destination: Same as departure
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review May 24, 2021; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 218.4 total, 209.2 in this make and model, 218.4 as pilot in command, 9.8 in the last 90 days, 4.6 in the last 30 days, 0.8 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observed at: KABQ, 9 nm away
- METAR: METAR KABQ 051452Z 00000KT 10SM BKN250 17/05 A3029 RMK AO2 SLP196 T01670050 51009

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 23, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104101. 3.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12856247&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120-1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Record of email (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12857204&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR22LA010%20Record%20of%20Email-Rel.pdf

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.

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