Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z accident near Park City, Utah, April 22, 2017
On April 22, 2017 at about 2:40 pm local time, a 2011 Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z (balloon), registered N245DK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Park City, Utah. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 9 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’s failure to see and avoid power lines during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2017 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Park City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balony Kubicek Spol Sro BB70Z 60, built 2011 · all BB70Zs on the register
- Registration
- N245DK · registry record · serial 817
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the wind shifted before departure and that, although this would result in the balloon travelling to an area with "limited landing opportunities," he chose to continue the departure. During landing, the balloon descended to about 20 to 30 ft above the ground, and the landing area was on a hillside that had a commercial building on the top and that, at the base of the hill, was a short pole with guy wires. He did not see any other poles, so he "focused" on the intended landing site. As the balloon approached the landing site, a passenger asked, "if we would hit that power line?" He looked up and saw two power lines above and forward of the balloon's path, and he immediately vented the balloon to land and stop its forward progress. The balloon collided with the power lines and settled to the ground. The balloon sustained substantial damage to 3 of its 24 cables that attach the envelope to the basket. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,642 hours in all; 327 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,606 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Park City UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KSLC, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA17CA262.