Raven AX-7 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 7, 1982
On October 7, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Raven AX-7 (balloon), registered N40222, 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; 1 other was 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 7, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raven AX-7
- Registration
- N40222 · no longer on the register · serial S55-836
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOONIST ATTEMPTED TO ABORT A LANDING DUE TO WIND CONDITIONS AND BELIEVES HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE BALLOON DESCENDED AND LANDED ON A FENCE AND BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN. THE WIND HAD PICKED UP TO ABOUT 15 OR 20 KNOTS SO THE BALLOONWAS TRAVELING DOWNWIND AS IT COLLIDED WITH THE ROOF OF A HOUSE TAKING OFF SOME SHINGLES. A BALLOON CABLE CAUGHT ON THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE WHICH STOPPED THE BALLOON. THE CHASE CREW SEQUENCE WAS UNEVENTFUL.
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: 2,582 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 1,986 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,435 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 7:15 am
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.