- Date
- June 26, 2024, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Arroyo Hondo, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N53WBUltramagic T210
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20240626021199A
- Case key
- 194599
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 passenger’s failure to maintain a proper landing position and handhold during the landing sequence, which resulted in a serious injury.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after he instructed the passengers on the landing procedures, positions, and handholds in the basket of the hot air balloon, they completed about a 1-hour flight without any anomalies. Prior to a normal landing, the passengers were once again instructed on the landing procedures. During landing, shortly after touchdown, the balloon slid to a stop and a passenger was unable to maintain her instructed position and handhold. Subsequently, the passenger sustained a serious injury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53WB
- Reported as
- Ultramagic T210
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 210/123
- Built
- 2018
- Airframe hours
- 509
- Engine
- Ultramagic MK-32 DOUBLE BURNER, 28 hp, none
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 2024 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- Arroyo Hondo, NM
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- KSKX · Taos Regional Airport
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 17, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,222 total · 510 in this make and model · 2,222 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.39 inHg
- Observed at
- KSKX, 5 nm away
- METAR
- KSKX 261156Z AUTO 09004KT 10SM CLR 16/04 A3030 RMK AO2 SLP170 T01610044 10233 20156 53005
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.