# NTSB WPR24LA019: Cameron Balloons U S A-315, N315RR, Albuquerque, NM, October 14, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 14, 2023, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.179931, -106.58996 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1799&lon=-106.5900&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, 12 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 193293 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA019 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193293/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193293 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA019 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the balloon during landing due to unforecasted windshear and turbulent air. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: windshear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons U S A-315, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md?model=1880118), [All aircraft, 90 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md) - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons U S A-315, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=1880118), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/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: [Cameron Balloons U S A-315, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1880118), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the flight was a balloon sightseeing flight that was departing from a large balloon festival. He received a weather briefing as part of the festival and there was no forecasted adverse conditions. Prior to departure, he briefed all 12 passengers on the proper landing position (knees slightly bent with both hands holding onto the rope). After a normal accent, the pilot flew for about 40 minutes and prepared to land. During the descent, he noted that the surface winds were faster than earlier in the flight. As they descended to about 75 ft above ground level (agl), the balloon encountered windshear and turbulent air. In response, the balloon descended faster than the pilot anticipated, and he was unable to arrest the descent. The balloon contacted a chain-link fence and touched down in a field. As a result of the landing, a passenger suffered a bone fracture (in the ankle area). The balloon did not sustain damage. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) sounding over the landing site indicated a stable atmosphere with no thermals and a defined low-level temperature inversion to about 2,000 ft agl with light and variable winds to the surface. No strong winds were indicated below 10,000 ft mean seal level (msl). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N315RR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N315RR), registered now, S/N 6979, built 2023 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CAMERON BALLOONS U S A-315 (6979) - Registry model: [Cameron Balloons U S A-315](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-u-s-a-315) (registry code 1880118) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 6979 - Year built: 2023 - Airframe hours: 7 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: Annual, September 30, 2023 - Destination: Same as departure ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 20, 2023; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 2,200 total, 500 in this make and model, 2,150 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.30 inHg - Observed at: KABQ, 8 nm away - METAR: METAR KABQ 141352Z 34007KT 10SM SCT200 SCT250 08/M04 A3030 RMK AO2 SLP224 T00831039= ## 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 20231014018279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231014018279A), Oct 14, 2023: Cameron Balloons U S A-315, Albuquerque, NM, No damage. On October 14, 2023, at approximately 0750 MDT, a Cameron balloons A-315 hot air balloon was involved in an accident on the east side of Albuquerque, NM. The… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 13, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193293. 554 KB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 8 pages, 274 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16335531&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Weather information (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16334393&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather-Rel.pdf - Photograph (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 188 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16334902&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Z-%20Attachment%2002%20-Photos-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. --- 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.