Ultramagic N 250 N275WB

Summary

On 19 October 2019 at about 14:05 local time, a Ultramagic N 250 registered N275WB, operated by Balloons Over the Rainbow Inc, was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. 13 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.

Date

19 October 2019 at 14:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.0844, -106.6503

Aircraft

Ultramagic N 250

Registration

N275WB

Category

Balloon

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Balloons Over the Rainbow Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA20CA037

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure maintain clearance from power lines, which resulted in an explosion and preimpact fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during approach in a balloon, he flew over a line of trees and noticed power lines. He told his 12 passengers to "get down," and he turned off the propane tanks in the basket in anticipation of the baskets contacting the power lines. To avoid power line contact with the balloon's support cables, the pilot activated the burners on the opposite side of the expected contact point, hoping the balloon would ascend. The balloon contacted the power lines just above the leather bolster, "causing a huge explosion." The power lines cut through the support cables in the pilot compartment. The balloon began to ascend away from the power lines, and the pilot maneuvered to a parking lot and descended to land. During the descent, the balloon's basket caught fire. The pilot landed on the asphalt parking lot surface, and the passengers exited the basket. The pilot rapidly deflated the envelope and attempted to extinguish the fire. The balloon sustained substantial damage to the support cables and the basket. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.