Cameron N-90 N1602R
10 October 1997 · Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 10 October 1997 at about 14:40 local time, a Cameron N-90 registered N1602R was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
- Nearest airport
- Albuquerque Balloon Park (NONE)
- Coordinates
- 35.0601, -106.6203
- Aircraft
- Cameron N-90
- Registration
- N1602R
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW98LA009
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot of the Aerostar RX 8, N71415, to follow procedures/directives.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The two balloons were participating in the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. According to witnesses, the Cameron N90, N1602R, was descending at an altitude of approximately 250 feet to 300 feet agl. Another witness stated that N71415 was 'moving towards N1602R and was clearly descending rapidly while burning to arrest the decent.' The pilot of N1602R reported that he was descending when the 'top of my balloon was hit from above by the bottom of the basket of another balloon.' The pilot of N71415 reported seeing N1602R 'approaching below me at a slightly quicker ground speed; then N1602R began to ascend and I began to fire both of my burners.' FAR 91.113(b) states that 'vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft.' Several balloon instructors stated that the balloon community teaches that the lower balloon has the right-of-way. Postaccident examination of photographs taken during the collision sequence reveal that after separating, N71415 rose approximately 275 feet, while N1602R maintained its position relative to the balloons around him.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron N-90 N-90 | N1602R | - | Substantial |
| Aerostar RX 8 RX 8 | N71415 | - | - |
Other Cameron N-90 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Aug 1992 | Cameron N-90 | Centralia, Illinois, United States | General Motors Corp., Inc | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-18 | Clovis, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jan 1997 | Beechcraft 95-B55 | Mayhill, New Mexico, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 3 Feb 1997 | Aeronca 65-TC | Moriarty, New Mexico, United States | William A. Essenburg | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Feb 1997 | Piper PA-24-250 | Farmington, New Mexico, United States | - | Fatal | 5 |
| 6 Oct 1997 | Aerostar S-60A | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Ronald E. Hensley | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 1997 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-2B | Hobbs, New Mexico, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |