# Accident 20240114000169A: Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB85Z, Eloy, AZ, January 14, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 14, 2024, 07:47 local time
- Place: Eloy, AZ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8195° N, 111.5446° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8195&lon=-111.5446&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4961D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4961D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB85Z (registry code 1370509, https://openairdocs.org/model/balony-kubicek-spol-sro-bb85z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALONY KUBICEK SPOL SRO BB85Z
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240114000169A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR24FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA072), Jan 14, 2024: Kubicek BB85Z (N4961D), Eloy, AZ, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to open the rapid deflation valve during flight as a means of descending, which resulted in the deflation of the envelope and hard impact with terrain.

## Other reports on N4961D (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20140803017149I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140803017149I), Aug 3, 2014: Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB85Z (N4961D), Kyle, TX, No damage. On aug. 3, 2014, N4961D, a Balony Kubicek Spol Sro lighter than air balloon, made a hard landing into a church soccer field due to the retrieval team parking…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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