Hot air balloon has exciting landing

A group of Air Force service members from Kirtland Air Force Base and their families got an exciting start to their New Year’s weekend Friday when a hot air balloon the group was riding in ended up wrapped around a street light.

World Balloon pilot Murray Conrad said as the basket hit the ground, a gust of wind hit that pushed the envelope into a street light at Sandra Loop and Quinn Street.

“I’ve had over 3,000 flights and I’ve never had that happen before,” Conrad said.

There were no injuries, and the passengers were in good spirits after the landing, which passenger Tyler Cruz said felt like “hitting a curb when you’re driving a car.”

“It was surreal going over the houses and seeing that view and the mountains,” said Cruz, who was on his first balloon ride. “The most fun part was the landing. I wasn’t really scared; we just kind of slid. We were never in danger. I’ll definitely go on another balloon ride.”

Several members of Rio Rancho Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and used the ladder truck to remove the envelope from the light.