Fiesta Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87122
Friday, October 7, 2005 7:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the winds had increased prior to landing. During the landing, "the basket bounced on contact once and came to rest upright." One passenger complained of a sore wrist and 3 days later, x-rays revealed a broken bone in her arm. According to the passenger, the landing was rough and it was windy. She stated the basket bounced twice and she came forward, crushing her arm and hand between her body and the basket of the balloon.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the improper decision by the pilot to continue with the landing and the hard landing encountered by the pilot. Contributing to the accident were the high winds and the proper descent rate not being possible.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Albuquerque
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87122
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350240N
Event Location Longitude 1063660W
Event Location Airport Fiesta Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ABQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5200
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 756 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 4700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.34
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 10
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18946
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office ABQ FAA Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N211LB
NTSB Number DEN06CA009
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 210S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5236
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 11
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 306
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Rainbow Ryders Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11520 San Bernardino NE
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) Air Race/Show
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 715
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? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 3 2005 2:05PM
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 --