- Date
- January 10, 2026, 09:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- La Verkin, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N90MNKubicek Factory S R O BB26M
- Defining event
- Approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 16, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20260110002709A
- Case key
- 202292
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines after an aborted landing attempt.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the balloon reported that during the flight, the wind pattern changed, and the balloon had traveled toward a congested area. The pilot attempted to land in a clearing, however, decided to abort the landing with the application of the burners to initiate a climb. Subsequently, the pilot realized that the balloon would not clear a set of power lines ahead of their position and pulled out the top of the balloon to expedite a descent. The balloon impacted the power lines and support pole, which resulted in substantial damage to multiple basket suspension cables. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90MN
- Reported as
- Kubicek Factory S R O BB26M
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 2482
- Built
- 2025
- Airframe hours
- 38.35
- Engine
- N/A, none
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Unknown · August 21, 2025
- Departed
- 1L8 · Hurricane, UT
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 120.5 total · 19.9 in this make and model · 68.8 as pilot in command · 20.9 in the last 90 days · 5.4 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Remote, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2025
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 6,500 total · 38 in this make and model · 6,490 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.67 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGU, 17 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSGU 101756Z AUTO 15006KT 10SM CLR 02/M08 A3067
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.