Cameron Balloons US A-225 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 15, 2025
On September 15, 2025 at about 2:10 pm local time, a 2022 Cameron Balloons US A-225, registered N980VA, was involved in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 8 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The balloon pilot’s improper landing, which resulted in serious injury to a passenger. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to brief the proper landing procedure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2025 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 8 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons US A-225 NO SERIES, built 2022 · all A-225s on the register
- Registration
- N980VA · registry record · serial 6968
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that before takeoff, he instructed passengers to position themselves sideways for landing, with a shoulder facing the direction of travel. At the conclusion of the balloon flight, the pilot anticipated a bumpy landing due to an uneven landing area with knee-high bushes and winds of approximately 14 mph. He directed the passengers to get into the landing position that he had briefed. During landing, the balloon slid approximately twenty-five feet and rolled over before coming to a stop, which resulted in serious injury to one of the passengers. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. He further reported that he was not aware of the manufacturer’s landing procedure, which advises passengers to turn backwards so their back faces the direction of travel and to secure themselves using the basket handle or tank collar.
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
- Roll over during post (impact)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Issuing instructions › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of procedures › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,309 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,275 as pilot in command; 34 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 6, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,825 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Rainbow Ryders INC
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 3021.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 am from ABQ, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KABQ 151252Z 11003KT 10SM CLR 13/04 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP162 T01280039
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 7 |
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 N980VA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR25LA284.