WPR26LA225

On June 18, 2026, at 0645 mountain daylight time, an Ultramagic SA N-300 balloon, N330LV, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pahrump, Nevada. The pilot and 2 passengers were seriously injured; 7 passengers sustained minor injuries. The balloon was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 sightseeing flight. The pilot reported that after completing a safety briefing to the 9 passengers, he launched the balloon at 0545 with calm wind, and expected to arrive at the intended destination, a dry lakebed, about 40 minutes later. The flight went as planned; however, during the landing approach, the pilot noticed a strong crosswind and aborted the landing. The pilot explained to the passengers that they would continue flying until the wind conditions were calmer. About 5 minutes later, the pilot initiated a second landing approach and did not notice a crosswind. The passengers assumed the safety position, and the pilot turned off the fuel tanks, and bled the fuel lines. The pilot then fully opened the quick-deflation system as the basket touched down normally. As the balloon deflated on the ground, the wind increased, which pushed the balloon and tilted the basket onto its side. The basket continued to drag across the ground and the uprights fracturing followed by the basket becoming partially inverted. According to the pilot, during the accident sequence, a passenger fell onto a burner blast valve, which resulted in a short burst of flame emitted from the burners. The basket came to rest on its side, and the pilot and passengers exited the basket.