Aerostar RXS8 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 10, 1998
On October 10, 1998 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Aerostar RXS8 (balloon), registered N9105Z, 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 high wind condition and the pilot's subsequent intentional hard touchdown. A factor was the small landing area that was available to the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1998 · about 2:30 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 RXS8
- Registration
- N9105Z · no longer on the register · serial RXS8-3024
- 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, the wind was 2 to 3 knots at the time of launch. As she prepared to land, the wind had increased to 12 to 15 knots. The pilot stated that 'the landing sites in the direction we were heading were small, so I started briefing my passengers about landing.' She further instructed her passengers that, because of the small landing sites available, 'they might need to land with the top out and the propane off.' After clearing several utility lines and trees, the pilot directed a passenger to pull the top out of the balloon and she turned off the propane fuel. The pilot stated that they 'hit the ground firmly and stopped in 20 feet, there was no bounce.' One passenger dislocated her ankle and broke her leg upon impact. The balloon was not damaged.
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: 413 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 399 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1998; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ NM at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N9105Z 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.