Thunder And Colt AX7-77 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 4, 1995
On July 4, 1995 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Thunder And Colt AX7-77 (balloon), registered N5402V, was involved in an accident near Santa Fe, 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING FOR THE HIGH WIND LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE UNFAVORABLE WINDS AND THE TREE STUMP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1995 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thunder And Colt AX7-77
- Registration
- N5402V · no longer on the register · serial N5402V
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A HIGH WIND LANDING WITH 2 PASSENGERS ONBOARD WHEN THE BASKET STRUCK A TREE STUMP AND DUMPED THE PILOT OUT OF THE BASKET. THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF WITH THE 2 PASSENGERS STILL ONBOARD, STRIKING THE ROOF OF A HOUSE. THE GROUND CREW RADIOED THE PASSENGERS TO PULL THE CANOPY LANYARD, THE PASSENGERS FOLLOWED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND THE BALLOON LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: 4,960 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 4,500 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 33 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1994; 7 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.