Aerostar International RX 7 accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico, October 7, 2019
On October 7, 2019 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1998 Aerostar International RX 7 (balloon), registered N9126K, was destroyed in an accident during landing near Rio Rancho, New Mexico. It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate descent rate during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and a postaccident fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2019 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International RX 7 No Series, built 1998
- Registration
- N9126K · registry record · serial RX7-3326
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon pilot reported that, during an air race, she identified a landing area with dirt roads. She had a gradual descent to land, but as the balloon neared the surface, the winds were "in the 20+ mile per hour range." The balloon landed hard and bounced. She instructed the passenger to get lower in the basket, regained control, and attempted another landing. During the second landing, the pilot "pulled the red line to let the hot air out of the envelope but was dragged across the ground," and she was ejected from the basket; the passenger remained in the balloon. A crewmember on the ground instructed the passenger to pull the red line again. The balloon landed hard, the passenger was ejected, and the basket was destroyed by postaccident fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal 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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 537.4 hours in all; 343.8 in this make and model; 3.7 in the last 90 days; 3.7 in the last 30 days; 377.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 15, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,480 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Corrales NM at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from KAEG, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N9126K 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.