Arbc INC DBA Lindstrand 77A accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico, January 23, 2021
On January 23, 2021 at about 4:08 pm local time, a 2006 Arbc INC DBA Lindstrand 77A (balloon), registered N477LB, was involved in an accident during landing near Rio Rancho, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper descent rate during the balloon’s approach to landing, which resulted in a hard landing and fatal passenger injury when the passenger fell out of the basket.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2021 · about 4:08 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Arbc INC DBA Lindstrand 77A, built 2006 · all 77As on the register
- Registration
- N477LB · registry record · serial 5320
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the balloon reported that, following an uneventful flight, she briefed the passenger for landing, which included having them secure themselves within the basket “holding on in 2 places.” The pilot stated that, during the landing descent, there was a bush that she selected to intentionally hit to slow the balloons ground speed down. The balloon brushed the vegetation, continued to descend, and landed hard. After the hard landing, the balloon became airborne and turned with the basket at a slight angle when the passenger “slid out the side of the basket,” about 5 ft above ground level. The pilot was met by the passenger shortly after she had landed and secured the balloon. The pilot and passenger walked to a nearby ridge, at which point the pilot was able to contact her crew with the location of the balloon. During this time, the passenger was alert; however, he wanted to sit down to rest. The pilot stated that 911 was called about an hour after the hard landing. The passenger was attended to by emergency personnel before he was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt pelvic trauma.
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
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 329 hours in all; 329 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 299.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 20, 2019
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 327.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 12, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,251 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 am from KAEG, 13 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR21LA158.