Avian Balloon SKYHAWK accident near Bucyrus, Ohio, September 21, 2023
On September 21, 2023 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 1999 Avian Balloon SKYHAWK, registered N2067Q, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bucyrus, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The balloon pilot’s bounced landing, which resulted in the basket tipping over and a serious injury to a passenger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2023 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bucyrus, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Avian Balloon SKYHAWK NO SERIES, built 1999 · all SKYHAWKs on the register
- Registration
- N2067Q · registry record · serial 207
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon pilot reported that after a local sightseeing flight, she maneuvered and descended toward the landing zone that was an open field that had power lines nearby. After clearing the power lines, the pilot further descended and just prior to impact she “added a small amount of heat,” however, the basket bounced twice and tipped over onto its side. The pilot then completely deflated the balloon to prevent the basket from getting dragged on the ground. During the bounced landing and basket tip over, one of the passengers fell to the bottom of the basket, which resulted in a serious injury to her right leg. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 375 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avian TURBO 8 (type not recorded); 350 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from MFD, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMFD 212252Z 09003KT 10SM SCT055 23/13 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP239 T02280133=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 ERA23LA377.