Cameron Balloons N-210 N7507V

Summary

On 13 June 2001 at about 13:35 local time, a Cameron Balloons N-210 registered N7507V was involved in an accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States. 9 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 5 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 June 2001 at 13:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cameron Balloons N-210

Registration

N7507V

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rio Rancho → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01LA116

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's inadvertent weather encounter with wind shear, and the resulting inability to maintain the proper landing descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the high wind weather condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot received weather information from several sources beginning at 0300 that morning. Additionally, he obtained wind data from a remote sensor northwest of Rio Rancho and from another near Sandia Peak. The forecast he received indicated winds from 200 degrees at 8 knots till 1000 and then changing to 250 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 22 knots. He launched a pibal to check the current wind speed at the launch site and he determined it was "favorable." He launched with eight passengers on board and when he first checked his airspeed it was 4 knots. After climbing over a mesa, he noted that his airspeed had increased to 8 knots and was increasing. At that point of the flight, there were no favorable landing sites. He found a suitable landing site of open desert and briefed the passengers on high wind landing procedures. The pilot said that as the balloon descended, it passed through a wind shear zone with surface winds up to 30 knots. The winds on the lower half of the balloon created a false heavy and the pilot could not slow the excessive descent. After impact, the balloon skidded approximately 100 yards before its envelope could be deflated and the balloon stopped. During the landing, one passenger broke an ankle.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.