# NTSB WPR26LA039: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A, N614LB, Rio Rancho, NM, November 9, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 9, 2025, 07:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Rio Rancho, NM - Coordinates: 35.224467, -106.71187 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2245&lon=-106.7119&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 12, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 201980 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA039 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201980/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201980 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA039 ## Probable cause An inadvertent hard landing in high wind conditions resulting in serious injury of one of the pilots. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=5190005), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=5190005), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5190005), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=5190005), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) ## Analysis While conducting an instructional flight, the commercial pilot noted that the wind speed was 14 knots during the first approach to land. Someone on the ground reported to the pilot that winds were 8 knots near the landing area. The student pilot who was in control of the balloon elected to climb back up to navigate to the North to make another landing attempt. The pilot discussed the upcoming high wind landing with the student pilot as she prepared for a long approach to landing. The balloon descended at a steady rate and before landing she pulled the rapid-deflation valve line. During the landing, the balloon impacted the ground and bounced back into the air. Both the pilot and the student pilot remained in the bottom of the basket as the student pilot continued to pull the rapid-deflation valve line to deflate the balloon. After contacting the ground again, the basket continued to drag on the ground until the balloon was deflated. The student pilot sustained serious injuries during the landing. There were no mechanical malfunctions reported during the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N614LB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N614LB), registered now, S/N 5580, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ARBC INC DBA LINDSTRAND 77A - Registry model: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A](https://openairdocs.org/model/arbc-inc-dba-lindstrand-77a) (registry code 5190005) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 5580 - Year built: 2015 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Eakin Sean T - Registered owner: Eakin Sean T - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 25, 2025, 183.5 hours before - Departed: Albuquerque, NM - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: ABQ - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 3; last flight review April 9, 2025; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 314 total, 100 in this make and model, 314 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 53; injuries: serious; student; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 19 total, 7 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.47 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KAEG, 6 nm away - METAR: METAR KAEG 091350Z 30007KT 10SM CLR 00/M09 A3047 ## 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 20251109020699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251109020699A), Nov 9, 2025: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 77A, Rio Rancho, NM, No damage. On 11/09/2025 at approximately 0730 MST a lindstrand balloon model 77A suffered a hard landing in Rio Rancho new Mexico. The weather conditions were clear with… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201980. 13.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 13.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19600093&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-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.