Aerostar International RX8 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 8, 2009
On October 8, 2009 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Aerostar International RX8 (balloon), registered N4014J, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl Sunport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to select an adequate landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2009 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl Sunport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International RX8
- Registration
- N4014J · no longer on the register · serial RX8-3284
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a morning balloon flight of more than one hour the private pilot was making her third attempt at landing. On the previous attempts a slight wind shift to the left was taking the balloon away from the target area and into unacceptable obstructions. The pilot said she was aware that “fuel was an issue” and she knew she did not have enough fuel to cross the congested downtown metropolitan area ahead. She picked a parking lot with one end empty of vehicles as her landing area. After crossing the wires on the edge of the parking lot she “ripped out pulling the vent line as far as (she) could”. The pilot joined her passengers at the bottom of the balloon's basket for the expected hard landing as balloon skidded across the parking lot and struck a concrete barrier. Becoming airborne again, the basket then struck and damaged a building and fell approximately six feet to the ground. One passenger sustained a fractured ankle. The other occupants were not injured and the balloon sustained minor damage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing
- Cabin safety event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 377 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 2:05 pm
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KABQ, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.