Cameron A-250 accident near Albuquerque, NM
On October 5, 1998, a Cameron A-250 (balloon) was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, NM. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 5, 1998
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Aircraft
- Cameron A-250 · Balloon
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 12 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.111°N, 106.620°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X11231
Official records · DEN99FA004
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 5, 1998, at 0911 mountain daylight time, a Cameron A-250 balloon, N4557W, was destroyed following impact with wires during approach to landing at Kirtland Air Force Base, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and 11 passengers were seriously injured; however, one passenger was fatally injured. The balloon, named the Wayfinder, was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the across town flight (estimated distance of 9.5 nautical miles [nm]) which originated at approximately 08000. No flight plan had been filed. According to several passengers, they arrived at the launch site, near Coors Drive and Irving Blvd. NW, at approximately 0630, and they were each weighed for the flight. The pilot reported that the fatally injured passenger arrived in a wheel chair (she had recently broken her right ankle). He said that all the passengers were briefed on flight procedures (see attached documents). One of the passengers said that the whole departure operation "appeared well organized." At 0700, the pilot said that he and his ground crew inflated the balloon, but aborted the launch attempt due to excessive wind. The pilot reported that at approximately 0745, the wind subsided, and a second launch was attempted. The balloon lifted off at 0800, and they drifted to the south-southeast. Several passengers reported that the first half of the ride went "smoothly," and soon after takeoff, they even touched down in the river. One passenger reported that the flight "seemed to be very low to t
Probable cause
The pilot not planning his approach to a landing so as to fly over the transmission wires (on the approach edge of the landing field) in level flight or ascending flight, and the pilot not pulling out the rip panel for emanate contact with transmission wires as the owner's manual directs. A factor was the wind shear weather condition.
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Jun 25, 1992
- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · Cameron aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
