Cameron A-250 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 5, 1998
On October 5, 1998 at about 3:11 pm local time, a Cameron A-250 (balloon), registered N4557W, was destroyed in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque International airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 12 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not planning his approach to a landing so as to fly over the transmission wires (on the approach edge of the landing field) in level flight or ascending flight, and the pilot not pulling out the rip panel for emanate contact with transmission wires as the owner's manual directs. A factor was the wind shear weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1998 · about 3:11 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 12 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron A-250
- Registration
- N4557W · no longer on the register · serial 5911
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon was making a landing approach on a 165 degree heading. The pilot said that he thought he was 50 to 60 feet above the oncoming wires when the balloon began to descend. The balloon impacted the wires, and was subsequently extracted from them due to a large heat input just prior to wire impact. The balloon proceeded eastbound and climbed to 600 feet agl. The pilot began a stabilized descent, and the balloon again turned southbound. He selected a landing site which had transmission wires on the approach edge of the field. He began a descending approach over the wires believing that he had approximately 20 feet of clearance. The balloon's descent suddenly increased, and the pilot began heating the envelope. The balloon impacted the second set of wires, and the basket fell to the ground. Balloon training procedures recommended that during a landing over wires, the wires be approached in level, or ascending flight. The balloon's Flight Manual states: 'if contact with electric wires becomes inevitable, rip out the top to ensure that the basket is as close to the ground as possible before contact.'
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: 402 hours in all; 348 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 380 as pilot in command; 14 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 362 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 2:00 pm
- Destination: ABQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from ABQ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 11 |
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.