Lindstrand Balloons 60X accident near Louisville, Kentucky, January 11, 2022
On January 11, 2022 at about 8:46 pm local time, a 2007 Lindstrand Balloons 60X, registered N377LX, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Louisville, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot applicant’s delayed reaction to the balloon's increased rate of descent, which resulted in impact with a light pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2022 · about 8:46 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lindstrand Balloons 60X, built 2007 · all 60Xs on the register
- Registration
- N377LX · registry record · serial 5357
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a descent to perform contour flying for a practical test, the pilot applicant vented the balloon. When it began to level off too high, he vented it again and the balloon began a descent he described as “faster than (he) expected.” The designated pilot examiner (DPE) called for a burn and the pilot applicant “gave a short burn” with one burner. The DPE, recognizing that the burn was insufficient to arrest the balloon’s descent, called for another burn while simultaneously grabbing the other burner. The balloon started to ascend and when the DPE realized that the basket was going to strike a light pole, he removed his hand from the burner and called for the pilot applicant to do the same; however, the pilot applicant did not remove his hand from the burner. When the basket impacted the pole, the load tapes sustained burn and heat damage. The DPE assumed control and flew them to an uneventful landing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during uncontrolled descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 14,480 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 146 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 10,290 as pilot in command; 729 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 15, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 28.9 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 8.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 238.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Prestigious Promotions LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Louisville KY
- Destination: Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from SDF, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSDF 112056Z 21006KT 10SM CLR 03/M12 A3046 RMK AO2 SLP318 T00331117 56029=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 ERA22LA129.