KUBICEK BB70Z
Windsor, CO — June 24, 2013
Event Information
| Date | June 24, 2013 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN13CA372 |
| Event ID | 20130625X70114 |
| Location | Windsor, CO |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 40.43945, -104.97639 |
| Airport | Ft Collins-Loveland Municipal |
| Highest Injury | SERS |
Aircraft
| Make | KUBICEK |
| Model | BB70Z |
| Category | BALL |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | MINR |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 2 |
| Minor | 7 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 9 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilots’ encounter with increased wind, which resulted in a hard and fast landing.
Full Narrative
The pilot said there had been very little wind when he had launched in his balloon earlier and his flight at about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) was normal. He reported that there was very little wind until he descended to about 300 feet agl when the wind began to interfere. The pilot advised all passengers to lower themselves inside the basket and to brace themselves for a hard landing. The passengers advised that the balloon basket hit the ground “very hard” and bounced several times before hitting the slope side of a dirt hill where the basket flipped onto its side and was dragged in the dirt in that tipped-over position. The total distance from first impact to the balloon's final resting location was estimated at about 1,300 feet. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the main basket, the basket partitions, and substantial damage to the burner cage.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.