# NTSB WPR24LA142: Ultramagic Z-90, N290UM, Del Mar, CA, May 4, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 3, 2024, 18:30 local (May 4, 2024, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Del Mar, CA - Coordinates: 32.96395, -117.23654 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9639&lon=-117.2365&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194216 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA142 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194216/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194216 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA142 ## Probable cause The passenger’s intentional departure from the balloon in flight as an act of suicide. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Intentional act: suicide](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Ultramagic S A Z-90, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md?model=9240001), [All aircraft, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350) (defining event); cases with it: [Ultramagic S A Z-90, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md?model=9240001), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight was reported to be a celebration of life sunset flight with one passenger. Shortly after takeoff, about 1,300 ft mean sea level, the passenger asked the pilot for privacy for ceremonial reasons, and the pilot turned his back. About 20 to 30 seconds later, the pilot felt a shift in the basket and realized that the passenger had jumped from the balloon. The pilot stated he observed the passenger descending toward the ground. A postmortem report issued by the medical examiner listed the passenger’s cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death as suspected suicide. ## Factual narrative On May 3, 2024, about 1830 Pacific daylight time, an Ultramagic SA Z-90 balloon, N290UM, was involved in an accident near Del Mar, California. The pilot was not injured; the passenger was fatally injured. The balloon was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 sightseeing flight. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he launched the balloon with the sole passenger at 1815 for a proposed sunset “celebration of life” flight. At about 1,300 ft mean sea level, the passenger asked for privacy for ceremonial reasons, and the pilot turned his back. About 20 to 30 seconds later, the pilot felt a shift in the basket and realized that the passenger had jumped from the balloon. The pilot stated that he observed the passenger descending toward the ground but did not see the impact. He radioed his ground crew and requested that they call 911, and about 30 minutes later, he landed the balloon and was met by police officers. He provided a statement and returned with them to the balloon later that evening. A postmortem exam of the passenger was conducted by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. They reported that the passenger’s cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was suspected suicide. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N290UM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N290UM), registered now, S/N 90/209 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ultramagic SA Z-90 - Registry model: [Ultramagic S A Z-90](https://openairdocs.org/model/ultramagic-s-a-z-90) (registry code 9240001) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 90/209 - Airframe hours: 141.8 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Balloon - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 27, 2023 - Departed: N/A, Del Mar, CA - Destination: N/A, San Diego, CA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: N/A ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 8, 2023; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 3,797.3 total, 3,582.8 as pilot in command, 78 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F - Observed at: KNKX, 8 nm away ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 13, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194216. 2.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 and pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17813431&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Point%20One%20WPR24LA142_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Medical examiner mfr (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 122 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20206874&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SD%20County%20Medical%20Examiner%20MFR-Rel.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.