What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 14. 2024, at approximately 07:47, privacy data omitted, a balloon privacy data omitted and being operated by privacy data omitted, crashed in an open field 5.0 miles northeast of Eloy municipal airport (E60). The balloon, a kubicek model BB85Z, s/n 851, departed at approximately 06:00 with 13 persons on board, including the pilot. Eight of the passengers were skydivers.
The balloon climbed to an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet above sea level and the eight sky divers departed the aircraft.
In an attempt to compensate for the reduction in weight and to descend to a flight level conducive to sightseeing for the remaining passengers, the pilot used the life vent deflation method by pulling the red activation rope. According to the kubicek flight manual, “opening of the smart vent or lite vent by means of the red activation rope if the basket is higher than 2 metres (7 ft) above ground is prohibited”.
After opening the parachute vent the pilot did not close it and did not monitor the deflation for several minutes. Once the pilot realized that the balloon had continued to deflate, he had no ability to recover.
Once the balloon completely deflated it was in freefall mode for several thousand feet until contacting the ground.
On the ground impact one passenger was critically injured, and the pilot and the other four occupants were fatally injured.
Spas research revealed that the pilot was appropriately certificated and rated for lighter than air balloon, limited to hot air balloon with airborne heater. Pilot certificate issued may 23, 2022. Spas showed the pilot has a first-class medical, issued 04/29/22.after following up with airman medical records, it was discovered that the pilot changed the certificate to a second-class medical may 1, 2023.
Inspection of the aircraft revealed no mechanical issues that could have contributed to the accident.
Damage to the aircraft caused by the ground impact included: the burner assembly breaking free of its supporting structure, damage to the envelope including fabric burnt throughout the first two sections above the mouth opening, and tears to the fabric at the parachute section, likely caused by fluttering during the unconrolled descent.
Inspection of aircraft logbook records showed it to be past due for annual inspection. Last annual inspection was accomplished on November 3, 2022.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 14. 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 07:47, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A BALLOON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND BEING OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD 5.0 MILES NORTHEAST OF ELOY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (E60). THE BALLOON, A KUBICEK MODEL BB85Z, S/N 851, DEPARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 06:00 WITH 13 PERSONS ON BOARD, INCLUDING THE PILOT. EIGHT OF THE PASSENGERS WERE SKYDIVERS.
THE BALLOON CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND THE EIGHT SKY DIVERS DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.
IN AN ATTEMPT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE REDUCTION IN WEIGHT AND TO DESCEND TO A FLIGHT LEVEL CONDUCIVE TO SIGHTSEEING FOR THE REMAINING PASSENGERS, THE PILOT USED THE LIFE VENT DEFLATION METHOD BY PULLING THE RED ACTIVATION ROPE. ACCORDING TO THE KUBICEK FLIGHT MANUAL, “OPENING OF THE SMART VENT OR LITE VENT BY MEANS OF THE RED ACTIVATION ROPE IF THE BASKET IS HIGHER THAN 2 METRES (7 FT) ABOVE GROUND IS PROHIBITED”.
AFTER OPENING THE PARACHUTE VENT THE PILOT DID NOT CLOSE IT AND DID NOT MONITOR THE DEFLATION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. ONCE THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE BALLOON HAD CONTINUED TO DEFLATE, HE HAD NO ABILITY TO RECOVER.
ONCE THE BALLOON COMPLETELY DEFLATED IT WAS IN FREEFALL MODE FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET UNTIL CONTACTING THE GROUND.
ON THE GROUND IMPACT ONE PASSENGER WAS CRITICALLY INJURED, AND THE PILOT AND THE OTHER FOUR OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED.
SPAS RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS APPROPRIATELY CERTIFICATED AND RATED FOR LIGHTER THAN AIR BALLOON, LIMITED TO HOT AIR BALLOON WITH AIRBORNE HEATER. PILOT CERTIFICATE ISSUED MAY 23, 2022. SPAS SHOWED THE PILOT HAS A FIRST-CLASS MEDICAL, ISSUED 04/29/22.AFTER FOLLOWING UP WITH AIRMAN MEDICAL RECORDS, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PILOT CHANGED THE CERTIFICATE TO A SECOND-CLASS MEDICAL MAY 1, 2023.
INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT CAUSED BY THE GROUND IMPACT INCLUDED: THE BURNER ASSEMBLY BREAKING FREE OF ITS SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, DAMAGE TO THE ENVELOPE INCLUDING FABRIC BURNT THROUGHOUT THE FIRST TWO SECTIONS ABOVE THE MOUTH OPENING, AND TEARS TO THE FABRIC AT THE PARACHUTE SECTION, LIKELY CAUSED BY FLUTTERING DURING THE UNCONROLLED DESCENT.
INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK RECORDS SHOWED IT TO BE PAST DUE FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION. LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON NOVEMBER 3, 2022.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4961D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.