# NTSB WPR25LA284: Cameron Balloons US A-225, N980VA, Albuquerque, NM, September 15, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 15, 2025, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.07535, -106.71605 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0754&lon=-106.7160&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 8 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2025 - 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): 201036 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA284 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201036/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201036 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA284 ## Probable cause The balloon pilot’s improper landing, which resulted in serious injury to a passenger. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to brief the proper landing procedure. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Communication (personnel): issuing instructions](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063538): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-225, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063538/cases.md?model=1880232), [All aircraft, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063538/cases.md) - [Knowledge: knowledge of procedures](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-225, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010/cases.md?model=1880232), [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-225, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1880232), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-225, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=1880232), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-225, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1880232), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Post-impact: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US A-225, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=1880232), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that before takeoff, he instructed passengers to position themselves sideways for landing, with a shoulder facing the direction of travel. At the conclusion of the balloon flight, the pilot anticipated a bumpy landing due to an uneven landing area with knee-high bushes and winds of approximately 14 mph. He directed the passengers to get into the landing position that he had briefed. During landing, the balloon slid approximately twenty-five feet and rolled over before coming to a stop, which resulted in serious injury to one of the passengers. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. He further reported that he was not aware of the manufacturer’s landing procedure, which advises passengers to turn backwards so their back faces the direction of travel and to secure themselves using the basket handle or tank collar. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N980VA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N980VA), registered now, S/N 6968, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CAMERON BALLOONS US A-225 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Cameron Balloons US A-225](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-us-a-225) (registry code 1880232) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 6968 - Year built: 2022 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Rainbow Ryders INC - Registered owner: Rainbow Ryders INC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Departed: Albuquerque, NM - Destination: Same as departure ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private, commercial; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 6, 2025; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 1,309 total, 32 in this make and model, 1,275 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 110° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 3021.00 inHg - Observed at: ABQ METAR, 5 nm away - METAR: METAR KABQ 151252Z 11003KT 10SM CLR 13/04 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP162 T01280039 ## 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 20250915015419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250915015419A), Sep 15, 2025: Cameron Balloons US A-225, Albuquerque, NM, No damage. On 09/15/2025 at approx. 0810 am MST. A passenger balloon model camron A-225 [privacy data omitted], piloted by a commercially rated pilot, on a sight seeing… ## Other investigations on N980VA (1) 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. - [NTSB WPR26LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA052), Nov 24, 2025: Cameron Balloons US A-225 (N980VA), Albuquerque, NM, no damage. Probable cause: The balloon landing in increased wind, and the pilot’s inability to maintain the proper descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201036. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19351484&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA284%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19351046&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA284%20Memo%20of%20Record%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot%20%20Sep%2012%2025_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 165 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19449771&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photographs-Rel.pdf - Miscellaneous information (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19434358&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Cameron%20Balloon%20Passenger%20Brief%20Excerpt-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.