Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Sunday, July 11, 2004 7:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing, the balloon impacted the ground hard and tipped over. Two passengers from one side of the balloon fell on top of two passengers on the other side of the balloon causing serious injury to two passengers.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain/obtain the proper descent rate.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/11/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Albuquerque
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87106
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350204N
Event Location Longitude 1063606W
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 656 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5355
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
Density Altitude (feet) 7169
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 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16251
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Jul 11 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1317
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office ABQ FAA Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N410LB
NTSB Number DEN04CA103
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 Lindstrand Balloons
Aircraft Model 120A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5190
Certified Max Gross Weight 2640
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 14 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 197.2
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Rainbow Riders
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11520 San Bernardino
Aircraft Owner City Albuquerque
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87122
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Albuquerque
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 620
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 10 2004 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --