Aerostar International RX 8 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 22, 2006
On April 22, 2006 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Aerostar International RX 8 (balloon), registered N7142S, was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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 inability to maintain a proper descent rate due to the high winds, resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the high wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2006 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International RX 8
- Registration
- N7142S · registry record · serial RX8 - 3238
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot and the passengers, the flight was uneventful. The pilot stated that he elected to perform a "high wind landing." The basket tipped over during the landing and the passenger stated that she lost her balance, resulting in serious injury to her ankle. There was no damage to the balloon and no further injuries reported by the pilot or remaining passenger. The pilot reported the winds as 010 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot reported no anomalies with the balloon's systems.
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
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 7:00 am
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from ABQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N7142S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.