Thunder And Colt AX9-140 accident near Gallup, New Mexico, December 2, 1995
On December 2, 1995 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Thunder And Colt AX9-140 (balloon), registered N9606A, was involved in an accident near Gallup, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the high winds and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1995 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gallup, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thunder And Colt AX9-140
- Registration
- N9606A · no longer on the register · serial 317
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot obtained a weather briefing about 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to the balloon flight. About 30 to 35 minutes into the flight, winds increased, and the balloon was pushed over a wilderness area with ridges and canyons. Several approaches were abandoned due to power lines. Winds increased to 35 knots and the passengers were briefed for a hard landing. During the landing, the pilot was ejected from the balloon. Passengers grabbed the vent line and continued to pull until the balloon came to a stop. The total drag distance was 300 to 400 feet.
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: 1,131 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 497 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 0
- 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 260° at 20 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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 N9606A 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.