Kubicek BB accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 8, 2015
On October 8, 2015 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 2014 Kubicek BB (balloon), registered N106KB, was involved in an accident during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 14 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing which resulted in serious injury to a passenger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2015 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 14 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kubicek BB 100Z, built 2014
- Registration
- N106KB · registry record · serial 1064
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after diverting to an alternate landing area due to adverse wind conditions, the pilot maneuvered the balloon to land on a nearby soccer field. The pilot stated that he engaged the smart vent, touched down, bounced, and the balloon touched down a second time and came to a halt. He reported that during the second touchdown, a passenger's knee struck the calf of a fellow passenger, and that the passenger who was struck sustained a broken fibula. No further injuries resulted and damage was not sustained to any portion of the balloon. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 7,010 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2014
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 119 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: 4 Burner Type Engines (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 1:20 pm
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from ABQ, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 13 |
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.