Arbc Inc Dba Lindstrand 77A N614LB

Summary

On 9 November 2025 at about 14:30 local time, a Arbc Inc Dba Lindstrand 77A registered N614LB, operated by Eakin Sean T, was involved in an accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 2025 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.2245, -106.7119

Aircraft

Arbc Inc Dba Lindstrand 77A

Registration

N614LB

Category

Balloon

Year built

2015

Operator

Eakin Sean T

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26LA039

1 person was seriously injured.

An inadvertent hard landing in high wind conditions resulting in serious injury of one of the pilots.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While conducting an instructional flight, the commercial pilot noted that the wind speed was 14 knots during the first approach to land. Someone on the ground reported to the pilot that winds were 8 knots near the landing area. The student pilot who was in control of the balloon elected to climb back up to navigate to the North to make another landing attempt. The pilot discussed the upcoming high wind landing with the student pilot as she prepared for a long approach to landing. The balloon descended at a steady rate and before landing she pulled the rapid-deflation valve line. During the landing, the balloon impacted the ground and bounced back into the air. Both the pilot and the student pilot remained in the bottom of the basket as the student pilot continued to pull the rapid-deflation valve line to deflate the balloon. After contacting the ground again, the basket continued to drag on the ground until the balloon was deflated. The student pilot sustained serious injuries during the landing. There were no mechanical malfunctions reported during the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.