Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Albuquerque Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
Thursday, October 8, 2009 8:18 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After a morning balloon flight the pilot was making an approach to landing on a golf course. During a descent to treetop level the pilot reported the winds varied from 8 to 17 miles per hour. After descending below the tops of the trees the pilot reported a gust of 17 miles per hour with a “significant wind shift,” which moved the balloon laterally toward a line of trees. Just before touchdown the pilot said that she “pulled the top” to avoid hitting the trees and “we landed quickly dragging about 5 feet”. As the envelope deflated it snagged a tree causing minor damage to the balloon. The pilot sustained a fractured ankle and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The other occupant was not injured.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon during the approach and landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/8/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 818 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Albuquerque |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 87109 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 350815N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1063322W |
| Event Location Airport | Albuquerque Intl Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KABQ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5355 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 856 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 195 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KABQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5355 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 9000 |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KABQ 081356Z 29004KT 10SM FEW090 SCT120 11/06 A299 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26353 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SW Regional Communications Cen |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 23 2009 10:44AM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4502V |
| NTSB Number | CEN10CA017 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CAMERON |
| Aircraft Model | Z77 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6331 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1550 |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 11 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 39 |
| Airframe Hours | 639 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Carlton-Vish Donna Jean |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3405 Deer Run Dr |
| Aircraft Owner City | Danville |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 31834-5501 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Carlton-Vish Donna Jean |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3405 Deer Run Dr |
| Operator City | Danville |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 31834-5501 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Rio Rancho |
| Departure State | NM |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 740 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Albuquerque |
| Destination State | NM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 20 2009 12:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |