Piccard AX-6 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 3, 1988
On October 3, 1988 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Piccard AX-6 (balloon), registered N99US, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1988 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piccard AX-6 · all AX-6s on the register
- Registration
- N99US · no longer on the register · serial 699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PLT WAS COMPETING IN A BALLOON FIESTA, WITH 2 PAX. THE PLT SELECTED A LANDING FIELD WITH POWER LINES AND A STREET RUNNING EAST AND WEST ACROSS IT. THE BALLOON WAS DRIFTING SOUTH AND THE PLT SELECTED THE SOUTH END OF THE FIELD FOR LANDING, REQUIRING THE FLIGHT PATH TO CROSS OVER THE LINES. DURING THE DESCENT FROM 200 FT AGL, THE PLT APPLIED HEAT TO LEVEL OFF SO THE BALLOON WOULD CLEAR THE POWER LINE IN THE FLIGHT PATH. THE PLT SAID THE ELEVATION MADE THE BALLOON'S RESPONSE SLUGGISH AND THE BASKET DESCENDED BELOW THE POWER LINES. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB BY ADDING MORE HEAT, THEN DEFLATED THE BALLOON TO STRIKE THE LINES WITH THE ENVELOPE RATHER THEN THE BASKET. THE ENVELOPE HIT THE LINES AND BURNED. THE BASKET HUNG 20 FT OFF THE GROUND FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, THEN SLID TO THE GROUND. MOLTEN MATERIAL FROM THE BURNING ENVELOPE FELL ON THE PAX AS THEY EXITED THE BASKET.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 2,407 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,063 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 242 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1988; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,210 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:40 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N99US 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.