N787TC is a Thunder & Colt Airborne Amer AX8 105S2 (balloon) with serial number 2516USA, registered in Rio Rancho, NM. Its FAA registration is valid and runs until Apr 30, 2028; the renewal window opens on Oct 30, 2027. Its airworthiness certificate is in the standard class (balloon), issued Dec 8, 1993. It is one of 5 AX8 105S2 aircraft in the FAA registry, 2 of them registered in New Mexico. The NTSB accident database lists one record for this airframe since 2008, the latest on Aug 2, 2015.
Registration
- FAA status
- Valid registration
- Expires
- Apr 30, 2028
- Registrant type
- Individual
- Registered owner
- Individual owner, name not shown
- Location
- Rio Rancho, NM
- Local FAA office (FSDO)
- Albuquerque FSDO (ABQ FSDO) · (505) 764-1200
- Certificate issued
- Apr 7, 2015
- Last FAA action
- May 5, 2023
- Mode S code (hex)
- AAAC33
- Mode S code (octal)
- 52526063
- Official record
- registry.faa.gov
Aircraft
- Manufacturer
- THUNDER & COLT AIRBORNE AMER
- Model
- AX8 105S2
- Serial number
- 2516USA
- Aircraft type
- Balloon
- Engine type
- None
- Engines / seats
- - / 4
- Weight class
- Up to 12,499 lb
- Airworthiness
- Standard since Dec 8, 1993
- Approved operations
- Balloon
Public airports near Rio Rancho
| Airport | ID | Distance | Tower | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Eagle II Albuquerque, NM | KAEG | 11 mi | Towered | 100LL, A1 |
| Albuquerque International Sunport Albuquerque, NM | KABQ | 18 mi | Towered | 100LL, A, A1, A1+ |
| Sandia Airpark Estates East Edgewood, NM | 1N1 | 33 mi | Non-towered | 100LL |
Straight-line distance from the registration city, from the FAA airport directory (NASR). The registry does not say where an aircraft is based.
NTSB accident and incident records
| Date | Place | Aircraft (as NTSB recorded it) | Damage | Highest injury | NTSB no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 2015 | Albuquerque, NM | Thunder & Colt AX8 105S2 this airframe | - | Serious | CEN15CA340 |
From the NTSB aviation accident database (events since 2008, data through Sep 29, 2026), matched by N-number. An N-number can move between aircraft, so each row is checked against the serial number on the current registration.