Cameron Balloons US A-105 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 8, 2023
On October 8, 2023 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 2008 Cameron Balloons US A-105, registered N105BM, was involved in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing to a short field, due to windy conditions and a lack of suitable alternate landing areas, which resulted in a passenger sustaining a broken ankle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2023 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons US A-105, built 2008 · all A-105s on the register
- Registration
- N105BM · registry record · serial 6538
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on February 14, 2025. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot of the balloon reported that she performed an approach to land in an adequate but relatively small field with no suitable alternates nearby. With a wind of about 8 knots, the pilot considered this to be a high-wind landing. Once the balloon was clear of all obstacles and within 15 ft above ground level, she used the balloon’s smart vent system to perform a controlled landing, in accordance with the balloon’s operating manual. The balloon landed hard, which resulted in one passenger breaking her ankle. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area length › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 573.1 hours in all; 573.1 in this make and model; 6.1 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 16, 2023
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 499.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 51°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 10, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Petition for Reconsideration | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Response to Petition for Reconsideration | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Revised Final Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Revised Final Report with Changes Tracked | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR24LA011.