NTSB LAX06CA012 — 2005-10-08 · Globe, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N5161Y

Make / Model: AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8
Year of manufacture: 1999 · 6 years old at event
Engine: NONE NONE
Seats / Engines: 1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19990623
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A67A4B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N5161Y Aerostar RX-8 Serious

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's encounter with a wind gust during landing.

Factual narrative

This report is based on information received by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. The balloon was damaged and the pilot injured after encountering a wind gust during a landing. After receiving a weather report with no notation of adverse conditions, the pilot launched the balloon for a pleasure flight in the desert landscape. After several hours he opted to touchdown below a ridge located next to a road. After the basket contacted the surface, a gust of wind dragged the balloon over the ridge, resulting in substantial damage to the foot well and broomstick; the pilot sustained a broken ankle. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2005_LAX06CA012.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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