Adams A55 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 8, 1989
On October 8, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Adams A55 (balloon), registered N1059S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: TREES AND POWER LINES IN THE 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, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Adams A55
- Registration
- N1059S · registry record · serial 046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A LANDING ATTEMPT DURING A BALLOON FIESTA, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR AND SNAGGED A TREE. AFTER BREAKING FREE OF THE TREE, THE WIND PUSHED THE BALLOON INTO POWERLINES. THE BASKET SEVERED THE TOP LINE AND ELECTRICAL ARCING WAS EVERYWHERE, SEVERING FOUR CABLES.
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: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 368 hours in all; 368 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 361 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 192 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1989; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:10 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.