Aerostar RX8 N6360U
26 November 1995 · Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 26 November 1995 at about 15:00 local time, a Aerostar RX8 registered N6360U was involved in an accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX8
- Registration
- N6360U
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW96LA055
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
The pilot's improper planning/decision. A factor relating to the accident was: the high wind condition.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that the wind speed was 10 to 12 mph and he 'briefed the passengers on a high-wind landing procedure' of the balloon. To facilitate a landing, he 'ripped-out' the deflation port after clearing an arroyo and some bushes. Also, he reported that 'On impact one of the passengers...let go and did a backward somersault out of the basket. When the passenger righted herself, the basket struck her, breaking her right collar-bone.'
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerostar RX8 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct 2009 | Aerostar RX8 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 2012 | Aerostar RX8 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 2015 | Aerostar RX8 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Feb 2016 | Aerostar RX8 | Petaluma, California, United States | Sowers William H | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Oct 2016 | Aerostar RX8 | Mount Ulla, North Carolina, United States | Up Up Away HOT Air Balloon Co | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun 1995 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Mimbres, New Mexico, United States | Bartelett Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 1995 | Thunder and Colt AX7-77 | Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 1995 | Cessna 152 | Farmington, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 1995 | Cessna 421C | El Prado, New Mexico, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 22 Oct 1995 | Beechcraft 95 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jul 1995 | Piper PA-32-260 | Farmington, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |