Ultramagic SA N-210 accident near Erie, Colorado, July 14, 2023
On July 14, 2023 at about 12:50 pm local time, a 2021 Ultramagic SA N-210 (balloon), registered N1958S, was involved in an accident during landing near Erie, Colorado. It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing due to the high wind conditions which resulted in two passengers sustaining serious injuries.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2023 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ultramagic SA N-210 NO SERIES, built 2021 · all N-210s on the register
- Registration
- N1958S · registry record · serial 210/149
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while conducting a sightseeing flight, the surface wind increased earlier than forecast. He decided to terminate the flight and make a high wind landing. He briefed his passengers that they were going to land quicky and drag to a stop. He reminded them to stay in the basket and hold on. The balloon skipped twice after contacting the ground and then dragged to a stop. One of the passengers was ejected and her hair was caught under the basket. She sustained minor injuries. Two other passengers remained in the basket but sustained serious injurious. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the remaining three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather brief, and the weather forecast reported a front to pass around 0800. A terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) for Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC) about 7 miles southwest of Erie, Colorado, forecast wind to be out of the northwest at 7 knots at 0300 and then shift to wind out of the northeast at 12 knots around 0800. When the pilot launched the balloon in Erie at 0638, the wind was calm. About half an hour after launch, reported surface wind in Erie was out of the northeast at 5 knots gusting 15 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 2,680 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 6, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 132 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 31, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 4,268 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Erie CO at 12:38 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 am from KEIK, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEIK 141315Z AUTO 02005G15KT 10SM CLR 18/09 A3009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 9, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA325.