No fatalities

CAMERON BALLOONS US ZL-70 accident at Rio Rancho, NM, 9 Oct 2024

Rio Rancho, NM, United States

On October 9, 2024, a CAMERON BALLOONS US ZL-70 was involved in an aviation accident near Rio Rancho, NM. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s inability to maintain clearance from a tree during the landing approach due to a gusting wind shift. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s inability to maintain clearance from a tree during the landing approach due to a gusting wind shift.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotEffect on operation