Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124
Tuesady, July 1, 2003 7:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that when the balloon took off, the winds were calm. He reported on landing they were approximately 10 knots. The pilot said he made a stand-up landing on hilly terrain. The pilot reported that the landing was a hard landing, but was not one of the hardest landings he'd experienced. During the landing, the passenger suffered a compound fracture in her lower left leg.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a hard landing for undetermined reasons. Factors relating to the accident were the unfavorable winds and landing on hilly terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Rio Rancho
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87124
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352100N
Event Location Longitude 1063718W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 756 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) 7282
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14249
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1802
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albuquerque, New Mexico FASDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N360E
NTSB Number DEN03LA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Eagle Balloons Corp.
Aircraft Model C-7
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E81707
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 1
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ohio Knox III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2915 San Diego Avenue SE
Aircraft Owner City Albuquerque
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87106
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Rio Rancho
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 710
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 21 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --