- Date
- October 12, 2024, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N80029Lindstrand 80E
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area overshoot
- 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
- 20241012015669A
- Case key
- 195319
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 loss of control during landing, which resulted in the balloon’s envelope contacting powerlines.
Findings · 2
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 he was attempting to land a hot air balloon in a field, when the wind shifted. Upon touchdown, one of the passengers exited without the pilot’s instruction to do so. As a result of the passenger exiting, the balloon suddenly climbed about 15-20 ft. Subsequently, as the balloon was descending to the ground, the pilot vented out the remaining air from the envelope, which then contacted the ground and a powerline. A spark was observed at the powerline and a small fire ensued, which resulted in substantial damage to the envelope. The pilot reported that the balloon had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further stated that a preflight passenger briefing was conducted prior to the flight, which directed passengers to remain in the basket until the pilot gives permission to exit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80029
- Reported as
- Lindstrand 80E
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 5761
- Built
- 2022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 26, 2024 · 41 hours before
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- August 13, 2023
- Seat
- None
- Flight hours
- 283.25 total · 42 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.37 inHg
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- KAEG, 7 nm away
- METAR
- KAEG 121453Z 02004KT 10SM CLR 18/M06 A3037
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 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.