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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

October 13, 2001 · Thunder And Colt AX8-90 · N407TC

Albuquerque, NM

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 13, 2001
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Aircraft
Thunder And Colt AX8-90
Tail Number
N407TC
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW02LA016

The balloon struck vehicles and poles during landing in gusty wind conditions. The envelope received multiple tears, and the basket received light scrapes. The weather observation facility reported the wind from 130 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 18 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the obstacles during landing. A contributing factor was the gusty winds.

Full Narrative

On October 13, 2001, at 0810 mountain daylight time, a Thunder and Colt AX8-90 balloon, N407TC, struck vehicles and poles during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The balloon was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured, and the balloon sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area. A flight plan was not filed for the local personal flight which departed the Balloon Fiesta Park approximately 0800. The pilot reported that during the landing in gusty wind conditions, the balloon struck a motor home, skidded along the ground, and struck a minivan. Subsequently, the envelope caught 2 light poles, bending the poles approximately 45 degrees, before the basket came to rest against a sport utility van located in the parking lot. The plastic top of the motor home was damaged, the right tail light was broken on the minivan, and the door was dented on the sport utility vehicle. The envelope received multiple tears, and the basket received light scrapes. At 0756, the Albuquerque weather observation facility reported the wind from 130 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 18 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 7 degrees Celsius (44 degrees Fahrenheit), and dew point -13 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit). The altimeter setting was 30.01 inches of Mercury.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:10 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftThunder And Colt AX8-90
Tail NumberN407TC
Aircraft CategoryBall
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines0

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1Age 53 · None · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind130° @ 13 kt, gusting 18 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point45 C / 9 C
Altimeter30.01 inHg
Observation Time13:56
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data