Adams Balloon A55 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 15, 2003
On June 15, 2003 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Adams Balloon A55, registered N4031Z, was destroyed in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper planned approach for a landing and obstacle clearance not maintained. A contributing factor was the power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2003 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Adams Balloon A55 · all A55s on the register
- Registration
- N4031Z · no longer on the register · serial 155
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot he was approaching a vacant field for landing. The balloon crossed over a hot, paved parking lot, began to rotate and descended onto a live power line at the edge of the lot. The pilot attempted to recover; however, the balloon continued to sink, and the basket struck the top power line. The pilot stated "the speed at which the balloon was traveling forward was so slow that the wire brought the basket to a halt instead of snapping [the wire] in half." Subsequently, the basket slid down towards the ground. The power line came in contact with the suspension cable, "allowing electricity to run up the side of the balloon through the digital temperature wire." A fire ignited at the top when the electricity reached the sensor. The pilot stated the "pressure inside the balloon" rose, causing "a blast in the balloon that blew the top out,...draping the envelope over the live wire." Another fire erupted under the basket. The pilot and ground crew extinguished both fires.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2002; 365 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 1:00 pm
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from ABQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.