# NTSB WPR26LA118: Lindstrand 260A, N261RR, Casa Grande, AZ, March 2, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 2, 2026, 07:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place: Casa Grande, AZ
- Coordinates: 32.8139, -111.7096 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8139&lon=-111.7096&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 12 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 21, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA Scottsdale FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202595
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA118
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202595/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202595
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA118

## Probable cause

The hot air balloon’s encounter with downdraft wind conditions in mountainous terrain and subsequent impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); cases with it: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=5190013), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the hot air balloon reported that while conducting a sight-seeing flight with multiple passengers, the balloon approached a mountain where it encountered downdrafts, causing the balloon to sink and its ground speed to increase. The pilot attempted but was unable to arrest the sink rate using the balloon’s propane flame burners. The pilot directed the passengers to sit down in the basket, as they had been briefed prior to the flight. The passenger basket impacted a rock on the mountain terrain, incurring substantial damage to a structural wooden skid and a structural metal tube. The basket then became airborne again and the pilot continued the flight to a safe landing zone. According to the pilot, a passenger who remained standing during the accident sequence received a minor injury. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N261RR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N261RR), registered now, S/N 5520, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LINDSTRAND 260A
- Registry model: [Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A](https://openairdocs.org/model/arbc-inc-dba-lindstrand-260a) (registry code 5190013) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 5520
- Year built: 2012
- Airframe hours: 655
- Engines: N/A none
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Monahan Todd J
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 2026, 35 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, unknown; last flight review March 5, 2025; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 1,755 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 1,755 as pilot in command, 35 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KCGZ, 9 nm away
- METAR: METAR KCGZ 021356Z AUTO 08005KT 10SM CLR 14/M01 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP130 T01391011 $=

## 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 20260302004709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260302004709A), Mar 2, 2026: Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 260A, Casa Grande, AZ, Substantial damage. 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…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202595. 12.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 11.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20182310&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB_Form_6120_1_Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20189874&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot-Interview-Phone-WPR26LA118_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20189948&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR26LA118-Photos-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.

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