A Morning of Flight, and the Surface Winds That Would Not Cooperate

There is a particular optimism that accompanies the launch of a hot-air balloon—a faith that the wind will be gentle, the air will cooperate, and the landing will be soft. On the opening morning of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, that faith was tested seven times in a matter of hours. Seven balloon incidents were reported Saturday morning, an unusual cluster of mishaps that kept State Police and emergency crews busy but, by a grace that no one took for granted, resulted in no serious injuries .

The first mass ascension of the 2026 Fiesta began under a green flag, with balloons filling the sky above Balloon Fiesta Park as crowds watched . But the morning's flights did not all end as planned. One balloon struck power lines after its pilot attempted to land in a parking lot on Hawkins Street NE. The contact knocked out power to approximately 2,000 customers in the surrounding area, according to the Public Service Company of New Mexico . The pilot, William Fitzgerald, 76, of Lubbock, Texas, had been coming to the Fiesta for 35 years and had never experienced anything similar. He said he chose the parking lot because other balloons had landed there and it appeared open enough. But as the balloon descended, the wind changed. "As we dropped into this area, this air down here was different than the air" higher up, he said. The balloon touched the lines, producing a loud electrical pop. Neither Fitzgerald nor his passenger was shocked, though he hurt his shoulder and elbow climbing out of the basket .

Another balloon was damaged at a Cinemark parking lot after it had already landed. The pilot, Carol LaRotonda of Albuquerque, emphasized that the incident was not a landing crash. "I was already landed, and it just blew me over and impaled it," she said. A gust of wind pushed the balloon into a pole, puncturing it. "Nobody's hurt. It wasn't a landing incident. … It was just a gust of wind" .

State Police also responded to incidents in the Villa Corrales area and near Osuna Road and Vista del Arroyo Avenue NE, where a balloon was reported crashed and another stuck in a power line . Bernalillo County firefighters were dispatched to that scene. Five or six State Police officers worked the various incidents throughout the morning .

Sgt. Christian Roman, the day-shift supervisor for New Mexico State Police, said balloon incidents are not unusual during the annual Fiesta, but seven in such a short period was. "It does happen every year that we get a balloon that might crash or land on the interstate or something like that," he said. "But never where we had seven, you know, back to back in a row." Investigators had not determined what caused all the incidents, but Roman said surface winds could have played a role. "It could just be due to the weather. A little bit of wind … at the surface" .

The Balloon Fiesta organization said it was aware of the incidents and grateful that everyone involved was safe. "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," said Makayla Roberts, vice president of the Garrity Group, which manages public relations for the event . For Fitzgerald, the morning ended with a damaged balloon and an early end to his Fiesta flying. After 35 years, he said, he had never seen anything like it. The difference, he said, was the air close to the ground. "We just barely" missed clearing the lines .

AI Image Disclaimer: All images in this article are AI-generated and are intended for illustrative purposes only.

Sources: Albuquerque Journal, KOAT, KOB.com, Yahoo News