- Date
- October 6, 2025, 09:10 local (15:10 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM · Gonzales St. and 68th St. SW
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5315MAerostar International RX 8
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 201894
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a descent for landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The pilot of the balloon reported that, during the approach to the landing area, the balloon descended faster than anticipated while crossing over powerlines. Subsequently, the balloon collided with one of powerlines, which resulted in substantial damage to one of the frame’s aluminum upright tubes. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5315M
- Reported as
- Aerostar International RX 8
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- RX8-3355
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 702
- Engine
- N/A, none
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 5, 2025
- Departed
- N/A · Albuquerque, NM
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- May 15, 2024
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 1,276 total · 1,276 in this make and model · 1,276 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KABQ, 5 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KABQ 061452Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 14/00 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP134 T01440000 53020 $=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB in all.
Other investigations on N5315M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.