# NTSB WPR27LA004: Head Balloons AX8-88B, N4502A, Albuquerque, NM, October 3, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open
- Date: October 3, 2026, 08:46 local (14:46 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.186389, -106.59865 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1864&lon=-106.5987&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203938
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR27LA004
- Latest NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203938/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR27LA004

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Head Balloons AX8-88B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=4280202), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4502A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4502A), registered now, S/N 166 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HEAD BALLOONS INC AX8-88B
- Registry model: [Head Balloons AX8-88B](https://openairdocs.org/model/head-balloons-ax8-88b) (registry code 4280202) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 166
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Fitzgerald William J
- Registered owner: Fitzgerald William J

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.

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