Aerostar International RX 8 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 15, 2020
On August 15, 2020 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 2007 Aerostar International RX 8 (balloon), registered N900FC, was involved in an accident during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Double Eagle airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper descent rate during the balloon’s approach to a high-wind landing, which resulted in a hard landing and serious passenger injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2020 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Double Eagle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International RX 8 No Series, built 2007
- Registration
- N900FC · registry record · serial 101-90
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that for the balloon flight, the wind conditions were forecast to be light and variable at 4 knots. The wind at take0ff was from the north at 5 mph and 40 minutes later had increased to 15 mph. The pilot subsequently executed a high wind landing procedure. The balloon landed hard and was not damaged; however, the passenger, who was braced for landing, suffered a serious broken ankle injury. 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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 238 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 2.5 in the last 90 days; 0.6 in the last 30 days; 209 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: AEG Albuquerque NM
- Destination: AEG Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from KAEG, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR20CA272.