What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 12, 2019, at approximately 0924 PST, the Nevada flight standards district office received notification of a sightseeing hot air balloon crash involving N505CZ, a Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB60Z balloon, which crashed under unknown circumstances while conducting a sightseeing flight in the area of las vegas, Nevada.
The crash occurred in remote desert terrain located approximately seventeen miles southwest of las vegas, between Nevada state route SR160 and goodsprings, Nevada.
The balloon initially landed hard and ejected five of the nine occupants, including the pilot. The balloon continued flying low level for an approximate half mile and impacted the terrain at least three more times ejecting the remaining four passengers. The balloon subsequently came to a rest on a hillside approximately 300 feet after the last passenger was ejected.
One passenger was transported by helicopter and the pilot and remaining seven passengers were transported by ground ambulance. The pilot and two passengers were admitted to the university medical center trauma center with serious injuries. The remaining six passengers were treated for minor injuries and released.
The basket sustained substantial damage on all sides from the impacts with the terrain. The basket?s stainless steel frame was bent and had several areas of substantial wicker damage. The balloon suffered puncture damage to 15 separate panels. An inspection of the three propane fuel cylinders onboard disclosed all three tanks indicated they were empty.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 0924 PST, THE NEVADA FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A SIGHTSEEING HOT AIR BALLOON CRASH INVOLVING N505CZ, A BALONY KUBICEK SPOL SRO BB60Z BALLOON, WHICH CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE CONDUCTING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT IN THE AREA OF LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.
THE CRASH OCCURRED IN REMOTE DESERT TERRAIN LOCATED APPROXIMATELY SEVENTEEN MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAS VEGAS, BETWEEN NEVADA STATE ROUTE SR160 AND GOODSPRINGS, NEVADA.
THE BALLOON INITIALLY LANDED HARD AND EJECTED FIVE OF THE NINE OCCUPANTS, INCLUDING THE PILOT. THE BALLOON CONTINUED FLYING LOW LEVEL FOR AN APPROXIMATE HALF MILE AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AT LEAST THREE MORE TIMES EJECTING THE REMAINING FOUR PASSENGERS. THE BALLOON SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO A REST ON A HILLSIDE APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AFTER THE LAST PASSENGER WAS EJECTED.
ONE PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER AND THE PILOT AND REMAINING SEVEN PASSENGERS WERE TRANSPORTED BY GROUND AMBULANCE. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE ADMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER TRAUMA CENTER WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THE REMAINING SIX PASSENGERS WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED.
THE BASKET SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON ALL SIDES FROM THE IMPACTS WITH THE TERRAIN. THE BASKET?S STAINLESS STEEL FRAME WAS BENT AND HAD SEVERAL AREAS OF SUBSTANTIAL WICKER DAMAGE. THE BALLOON SUFFERED PUNCTURE DAMAGE TO 15 SEPARATE PANELS. AN INSPECTION OF THE THREE PROPANE FUEL CYLINDERS ONBOARD DISCLOSED ALL THREE TANKS INDICATED THEY WERE EMPTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.