Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87100
Sunday, October 9, 1988 11:31 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT, WITH TWO PAX ABOARD A HOT AIR BALLOON, PARTICIPATED IN THE 1988 ALBUQUERQUE, NM INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. THE PLT SAID HE RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AND THEN DEPARTED IN VFR WX CONDITIONS. AFTER APRX 45 MIN OF FLT, THE PLT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED UNPREDICTED ADVERSE WINDS. THE BALLOON BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. HE SAID HE HIT THE GROUND SEVERAL TIME BEFORE COMING TO A STOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1131
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87100
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 6
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7140
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1331
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37426
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3592C
NTSB Number DEN89LA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RAVEN
Aircraft Model S-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-60A
Aircraft Serial Number S60A-3098
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CIRCUS CIRCUS HOTEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 500 N SIERRA
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89503
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CIRCUS CIRCUS HOTEL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 500 NORTH SIERRA
Operator City RENO
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89503
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --