Kubicek BB100Z N938BS
18 July 2015 · Hidden Valley Lake, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 18 July 2015 at about 15:45 local time, a Kubicek BB100Z registered N938BS was involved in an accident near Hidden Valley Lake, California, United States. 20 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hidden Valley Lake, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 38.8033, -122.5747
- Aircraft
- Kubicek BB100Z
- Registration
- N938BS
- Category
- Balloon
- Year built
- 2012
- Engines
- 4
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hidden Valley → Hidden Valley
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- GAA15LA195
People
3 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
Probable cause
The balloon pilot’s deliberate hard landing to avoid power lines and trees, which resulted in serious passenger injuries.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
According to the pilot, while landing the balloon in variable wind conditions, he "deliberately made firm contact with the ground" to avoid power lines and trees ahead. The balloon then bounced about 20 ft and impacted the ground again. During the second impact, 3 of the 19 passengers sustained serious injuries; the balloon was not damaged.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Dec 2015 | Boeing 737 76N | San Diego, California, United States | Southwest Airlines Co | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Jun 2015 | Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G 164A | Bakersfield, California, United States | Nelson Kenneth D | No injuries | - |
| 1 Feb 2015 | Robinson R44 II | Calexico, California, United States | John Reed Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Robert C Hanson PITTS S2E | Lebec, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 17 Apr 2015 | Piper PA 18-150 | La Quinta, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Apr 2015 | Cessna 206H | Redding, California, United States | McClelland Aviation Inc | Fatal | 1 |