Cameron Balloons Us A-105 N808SP

Summary

On 7 October 2008 at about 21:00 local time, a Cameron Balloons Us A-105 registered N808SP, operated by Tierney Ronald C, was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 October 2008 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

None

Coordinates

35.0372, -106.6056

Aircraft

Cameron Balloons Us A-105

Registration

N808SP

Category

Balloon

Operator

Tierney Ronald C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA018

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the balloon during landing. Contributing to the accident were the wind gusts.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial rated balloon pilot obtained a weather briefing prior to his departure as a participant in an international balloon festival. The weather briefing provided by festival officials included calm winds at the surface and a wind speed of 13 miles per hour aloft. The pilot and his passengers (his grandparents) departed and flew approximately five miles from their launch site at an altitude of 1,800 feet above ground level before they reached their destnation. The pilot reported that at the time they landed the winds were "gusty" on the surface and the balloon was moving approximately two miles per hour when the basket touched down on the ground. The balloon's basket dragged approximately 60 feet along the surface, became airborne again for approximately 150 feet, and then landed and came to a full stop. The pilot reported that his grandfather sustained a broken leg when the basket first contacted the ground. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who was working at the festival, reported that there were occassional wind gusts on the day of the accident, but the weather was mostly clear with calm winds.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.