As of about 12:55 p.m. EDT Sunday (10:55 a.m. in Albuquerque), the Albuquerque Journal reports that State Police told it seven balloon incidents were reported on Saturday, Oct. 3, opening day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. They included balloons striking power lines. Accounts of injuries differ between reports, and the event organizer’s spokesperson told the Journal there were none. KRQE’s early Sunday briefing called the second day a green-flag day.
What the Journal and State Police said about the seven incidents
The Journal’s first story, published at 10:55 a.m. Saturday by its timestamp, said “seven hot air balloon incidents were reported Saturday morning during the opening day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the New Mexico State Police told the Journal.” It said “the unusual string of mishaps included balloons striking power lines and another being blown into a pole after it had already landed.”
Sgt. Christian Roman, the State Police day-shift supervisor, said: “It does happen every year that we get a balloon that might crash or, you know, land on like the interstate or something like that. But never where we had seven, you know, back to back in a row.” Roman said five or six State Police officers were working the incidents Saturday morning.
Roman said investigators had not determined what caused all of the incidents, but surface winds could have played a role. “It could just be due to the weather,” he said. “A little bit of wind … at the surface.”
The incidents the Journal described
According to the Journal’s first story:
- Hawkins NE. One balloon struck power lines after its pilot attempted to land in the parking lot for AAA Cooper Transportation at 3700 Hawkins NE. The Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) reported that 2,000 customers in the surrounding area lost power, and said it was expected to be restored by 11:30 a.m.
- Cinemark lot. Another balloon was damaged at the Cinemark parking lot, which the Journal’s text places at 901 Pan American NE. Its pilot “emphasized that the incident happened after the balloon had already landed.” The paper said a gust of wind pushed the balloon into a pole, puncturing it.
- Villa Corrales area. State Police were responding to a balloon incident there, where Roman said a balloon had hit a power line. The Journal wrote that injuries were not immediately known as officers headed to the scene.
- Near Osuna and Vista del Arroyo NE. Another incident was reported there. The Journal quoted Roman describing “a crash hot air balloon, and a balloon stuck in a power line.”
The Journal’s first story did not describe all seven individually, and we are not able to say from these reports which incidents were crashes. At least one, the Cinemark balloon, was blown into a pole after it had landed.
A second Journal story, published at 12:31 p.m. by its timestamp, put a power-line strike “south of the park, near Headline NE” and said, citing PNM, “more than 2,000 customers” lost power “for over two hours.” The first story names 3700 Hawkins NE and an expected restoration by 11:30 a.m.; the second names Headline NE and a duration. The two stories name different places, and we have not determined whether they describe the same balloon.
The Journal’s wider picture of opening day
The second story, headlined “54th Balloon Fiesta kicks off on a brisk fall day,” carried a subhead saying “clear skies and light winds made for favorable conditions Saturday, despite several minor crashes.” That is the Journal’s own characterization; its body text says “Seven balloons crashed, but no major injuries were reported, according to State Police.” The two Journal stories do not describe the seven in the same words.
The story began: “More than 500 balloons lifted off into a clear, still fall morning on opening day of the 54th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.” Brenna Smith, an apprentice balloon pilot with Rainbow Ryders, said, according to the Journal, that temperatures in the low 50s and little wind meant generally good conditions for ballooning. The same story said: “Light winds were pushing balloons south toward the interstates, creating suboptimal conditions for landing, some pilots reported.”
The Journal wrote that what festival organizers say is the largest ballooning event on Earth drew thousands of visitors from around the globe early Saturday.
Accounts of injuries differ
- The Journal’s first story quoted Roman: “No injuries were reported.” Its subhead said State Police reported no serious injuries.
- The Journal’s second story, at 12:31 p.m., said “no major injuries were reported, according to State Police.”
- The Journal wrote, about the Villa Corrales incident, that injuries were not immediately known as officers headed to the scene.
- Pilot William Fitzgerald, 76, of Lubbock, Texas, told the Journal he hurt his shoulder and elbow climbing out of the basket after the balloon came down at Hawkins NE.
- KOB reported that Albuquerque Fire Rescue found the two occupants of a balloon caught in power lines near Journal Center uninjured. KOB said crews responded just before 8 a.m. and, after confirming the lines were de-energized, removed both occupants from the basket. We did not find a publication time on the KOB page.
We have not reconciled these accounts. The reports do not say whether the KOB balloon is the same one Fitzgerald flew.
Fitzgerald’s account
According to the Journal, Fitzgerald said he and one passenger were aboard. Neither, the paper wrote, suffered an electrical shock. Fitzgerald said he did hurt his shoulder and elbow while climbing out of the basket after the balloon came down. The Journal reported that the crash will end his flying for this year’s Fiesta.
Fitzgerald said: “As we dropped into this area, this air down here was different than the air” higher up. The Journal said he chose the parking lot because other balloons had landed there and it appeared to provide enough open space.
What the event organizer said
Makayla Roberts, vice president of the Garrity Group, which manages public relations for the event, told the Journal the Balloon Fiesta was aware of the incidents. She said: “We are grateful that everyone involved in the incidents is safe and that there were no injuries.” She added: “Balloon Fiesta works closely with our safety partners to respond to each situation and prioritize the safety of our pilots, crews, spectators and the surrounding community.”
The Journal reported her statement in the same story as Fitzgerald’s account of his shoulder and elbow. We did not find a statement about the incidents on the organization’s own site; its news page, which we read at about 12:55 p.m. EDT Sunday, listed Sept. 23 as its latest item.
What KRQE said about Sunday’s forecast
The event runs Oct. 3-11, per the organization’s releases. KRQE posted at 6:07 a.m. MDT Sunday, updated at 6:31 a.m. MDT, that Sunday “is a green flag day but winds are expected to pick up around 9 a.m. so balloons will be landing by 10 a.m.”
KRQE also said “there will be a small box effect” and that “Sunday is the Memorial Flight.” It said that for the nine-day event, pilots gather at the Pilot Briefing Tower at 6 a.m. to discuss the weather and flying conditions, and that the day’s events may be postponed or canceled if certain scenarios occur. We did not capture the list of scenarios.
Those were forecasts posted early Sunday morning. We did not find a report on how the flight went.
Background: a separate landing-sites program
On Sept. 17, before the event, the organization and Bernalillo County announced X Marks the Spot, asking property owners to place a large white X on their land to signal to pilots that a balloon landing is welcome there. About 200 white X markers were offered at no cost while supplies last, and residents could also make their own using white sheets or similar materials.
Landowners who host a landing may receive daily prizes. Pilots carry cards to collect landowner information after landing on a marked property, and officials draw one “landowner of the day” after each day’s flying. Jennifer Garcia, the event’s Director of Operations and Logistics, was quoted in the release: “As the metro area continues to grow and open land becomes more limited, the X Marks the Spot program gives pilots an important visual tool …” The release said the program was created as a proactive response to the changing landscape of the Albuquerque metro area.
We are not connecting the program, or the reasons the organization gave for it, to any incident on Saturday. No report we read does.
What we did not find
- A finding on what caused each incident; State Police said not all causes had been determined and that surface winds could have played a role.
- A State Police or PNM statement that we read directly; both are cited only through the Journal. The event organizer’s comment is also cited only through the Journal.
- A description of each of the seven incidents; the Journal’s first story names four locations.
- An attendance figure.
- A report on Sunday’s flight after the fact.