# NTSB CEN13CA372: Kubicek BB70Z, N1235J, Windsor, CO, June 24, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 24, 2013, 08:40 local (14:40 UTC) - Place: Windsor, CO - Coordinates: 40.439445, -104.976387 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4394&lon=-104.9764&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 7 minor - Status: Completed, report October 21, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 87304 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13CA372 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87304/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87304 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA372 ## Probable cause The pilots’ encounter with increased wind, which resulted in a hard and fast landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=1370508), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1370508), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1370508), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=1370508), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=1370508), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot said there had been very little wind when he had launched in his balloon earlier and his flight at about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) was normal. He reported that there was very little wind until he descended to about 300 feet agl when the wind began to interfere. The pilot advised all passengers to lower themselves inside the basket and to brace themselves for a hard landing. The passengers advised that the balloon basket hit the ground “very hard” and bounced several times before hitting the slope side of a dirt hill where the basket flipped onto its side and was dragged in the dirt in that tipped-over position. The total distance from first impact to the balloon's final resting location was estimated at about 1,300 feet. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the main basket, the basket partitions, and substantial damage to the burner cage. ## Factual narrative The pilot said there had been very little wind when he had launched in his balloon earlier and his flight at about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) was normal. He reported that there was very little wind until he descended to about 300 feet agl when the wind began to interfere. The pilot advised all passengers to lower themselves inside the basket and to brace themselves for a hard landing. The passengers advised that the balloon basket hit the ground “very hard” and bounced several times before hitting the slope side of a dirt hill where the basket flipped onto its side and was dragged in the dirt in that tipped-over position. The total distance from first impact to the balloon's final resting location was estimated at about 1,300 feet. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the main basket, the basket partitions, and substantial damage to the burner cage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1235J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1235J-2025-03-06), registration cancelled 2025-03-06, S/N 906, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: KUBICEK BB70Z - Registry model: [Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z](https://openairdocs.org/model/balony-kubicek-spol-sro-bb70z) (registry code 1370508) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 906 - Airframe hours: 62 - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Longmont Hot Air Balloon LLC, doing business as Longmont Hot Air Balloon LLC - Registered owner: Joseph R Hart - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 4, 2013, 18 hours before - Departed: NONE, LONGMONT, CO - Destination: NONE, WINDSOR, CO - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: FNL, Ft Collins-Loveland Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: serious; commercial; last flight review December 1, 2012; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,000 total, 80 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 16 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KFNL, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130624011419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130624011419A), Jun 24, 2013: Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z, Windsor, CO, Substantial damage. Hot air balloon, Balony kubicek balloon model BB70Z, N1235J operated by longmont hot air balloon LLC departed from longmont Colorado at 1305Z (0705MDT). There… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87304. 90 KB in all. - Summary of Findings by IIC (item 1, .PDF, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396132&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20Findings%20by%20IIC-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.