What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 27th, 2026, at approximately 12:15 PDT, a baloney kubicek BB100Z, privacy data omitted, broke free from ground tethers and subsequently impacted a nearby building in Elk Grove, CA. The balloon then proceeded on a brief flight, striking a power line while landing in a nearby field. There was one pilot on board who was not injured. The balloon suffered damage to envelope attaching cables. The balloon was engaged in a static tethered operation approximately 160-180 feet northwest of a large building prior to the accident. Metars at the time of the accident indicated winds were in a southeasterly direction.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 27TH, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:15 PDT, A BALONEY KUBICEK BB100Z, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, BROKE FREE FROM GROUND TETHERS AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A NEARBY BUILDING IN ELK GROVE, CA. THE BALLOON THEN PROCEEDED ON A BRIEF FLIGHT, STRIKING A POWER LINE WHILE LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD. THERE WAS ONE PILOT ON BOARD WHO WAS NOT INJURED. THE BALLOON SUFFERED DAMAGE TO ENVELOPE ATTACHING CABLES. THE BALLOON WAS ENGAGED IN A STATIC TETHERED OPERATION APPROXIMATELY 160-180 FEET NORTHWEST OF A LARGE BUILDING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. METARS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED WINDS WERE IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.