What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 3, 2026, a lindstrand balloons usa privacy data omitted balloon made contact with the leeward side of a hill just south of Casa Grande mountain near Casa Grande, AZ. The balloon was being operated on a sightseeing flight with 12 passengers. The balloon was 200 feet above surrounding terrain, and began losing altitude as it got closer. The pilot attempted to regain altitude by applying the burners. As the balloon passed the leeward side of the hill, it continued descending and touched the surface striking a rock in the process. The basket sustained substantial damage as a result. One passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot continued flying the balloon to locate a more suitable landing spot where the flight terminated.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 3, 2026, A LINDSTRAND BALLOONS USA ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BALLOON MADE CONTACT WITH THE LEEWARD SIDE OF A HILL JUST SOUTH OF CASA GRANDE MOUNTAIN NEAR CASA GRANDE, AZ. THE BALLOON WAS BEING OPERATED ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH 12 PASSENGERS. THE BALLOON WAS 200 FEET ABOVE SURROUNDING TERRAIN, AND BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AS IT GOT CLOSER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN ALTITUDE BY APPLYING THE BURNERS. AS THE BALLOON PASSED THE LEEWARD SIDE OF THE HILL, IT CONTINUED DESCENDING AND TOUCHED THE SURFACE STRIKING A ROCK IN THE PROCESS. THE BASKET SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS A RESULT. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT CONTINUED FLYING THE BALLOON TO LOCATE A MORE SUITABLE LANDING SPOT WHERE THE FLIGHT TERMINATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.