Cameron Balloons US A-225 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 24, 2025
On November 24, 2025 at about 3:00 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 (Albuquerque International Sunp airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The balloon landing in increased wind, and the pilot’s inability to maintain the proper descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2025 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque International Sunp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons US A-225, built 2022 · all A-225s on the register
- Registration
- N980VA · registry record · serial 6968
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The hot air balloon pilot reported that he performed a safety briefing with all eight passengers before they boarded the balloon. During the flight the winds, which were forecasted to be about 3 knots at the time of landing, increased to 14 kts, gusting to 19 kts. The pilot determined that the planned landing area did not provide sufficient room for a safe landing due to the increase in wind speed and elected to divert to a more open area. The balloon crossed over a valley and encountered a downdraft, which the pilot said he unsuccessfully attempted to overcome using the gas burners. He activated the rapid-deflation system to help prevent dragging; the balloon touched down hard and was dragged by the wind as it deflated. The balloon landed hard at about 23 kts, which resulted in a serious injury to one of the passengers. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,073.3 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 53.3 in the last 90 days; 10.2 in the last 30 days; 1,073.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 13, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: minor 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
- Airframe total time: 397.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,922 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Rainbow Ryders INC
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 2:19 pm
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 am from KABQ, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KABQ 241452Z 16004KT 10SM SCT042 SCT150 06/03 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP185 MTNS OBSC NE-SE T00610028 53013 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 7 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on March 5, 2026. 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, 13 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR26LA052.