# NTSB WPR24LA011: Cameron Balloons US A-105, N105BM, Albuquerque, NM, October 8, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 8, 2023, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.163563, -106.62832
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1636&lon=-106.6283&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193228
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA011
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193228/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193228
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA011

## Probable cause

A hard landing to a short field, due to windy conditions and a lack of suitable alternate landing areas, which resulted in a passenger sustaining a broken ankle.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-105, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=1880211), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-105, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=1880211), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md)
- [Airport facilities/design: runway/landing area length](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017037): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-105, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017037/cases.md?model=1880211), [All aircraft, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017037/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-105, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1880211), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

**This report was modified on February 14, 2025. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot of the balloon reported that she performed an approach to land in an adequate but relatively small field with no suitable alternates nearby. With a wind of about 8 knots, the pilot considered this to be a high-wind landing. Once the balloon was clear of all obstacles and within 15 ft above ground level, she used the balloon’s smart vent system to perform a controlled landing, in accordance with the balloon’s operating manual. The balloon landed hard, which resulted in one passenger breaking her ankle. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N105BM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N105BM), registered now, S/N 6538, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CAMERON BALLOONS US A-105
- Registry model: [Cameron Balloons US A-105](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-us-a-105) (registry code 1880211) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 6538
- Year built: 2008
- Airframe hours: 499.5
- Engines: None none
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection: Annual, September 22, 2023
- Departed: Albuquerque, NM
- Destination: Albuquerque, NM
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; private; last flight review June 16, 2023; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 573.1 total, 573.1 in this make and model, 6.05 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 1.15 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 51 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg

## 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 20231008021539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231008021539A), Oct 8, 2023: Cameron Balloons US A-105, Albuquerque, NM, No damage. On October 8, 2023, at approximately 0815 MDT, a Cameron A-105 balloon was involved in an accident in Albuquerque, NM. During flight, the wind began to…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193228. 14.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16269879&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AAA%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1%20Not%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Petition for reconsideration (item 2, PDF, 14 pages, 12.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18409454&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=72848_inc_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Response to petition for reconsideration (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18409348&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=72848_WPR24LA011%20Final%20Petition%20Response_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Revised final report (item 4, PDF, 7 pages, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18408646&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=72848_WPR24LA011%20REVISED%20final%20report_clean-Rel.pdf
- Revised final report with changes tracked (item 5, PDF, 7 pages, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18409358&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=72848_WPR24LA011%20REVISED%20final%20report_with%20revs-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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