Aerostar International RX8 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 10, 2012
On October 10, 2012 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Aerostar International RX8 (balloon), registered N90550, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain the desired touchdown point because of wind conditions and surrounding obstructions, which resulted in the balloon impacting a fence during the approach to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2012 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International RX8 NO SERIES
- Registration
- N90550 · registry record · serial RX8-3297
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After attending a mandatory preflight briefing at a balloon festival, the pilot launched his balloon with the first group of balloons to launch. During an approach for landing in a field, the balloon encountered stronger-than-expected wind. The approach to the landing crossed power lines, a commercial building, and a fence. The pilot stated that as the balloon approached the field, it became unresponsive and impacted the fence; he thought that the balloon encountered a "false heavy," or wind shear, which resulted in a loss of lift.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 124 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 84 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 435 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: AIBF Albuquerque NM at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from ABQ, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN13LA032.