ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 385773
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| Date: | Wednesday 13 June 2001 |
| Time: | 07:35 LT |
| Type: |  Cameron Balloons N-210 |
| Owner/operator: | World Balloon, LLC. |
| Registration: | N7507V |
| MSN: | 5808 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 660 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Rio Rancho, NM -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Rio Rancho, NM (NONE) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
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.
Probable Cause: 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.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB DEN01LA116
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Apr-2024 07:48 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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