Galaxy Balloons, Inc. GALAXY 7 accident near Inyokern, California, October 8, 2000
On October 8, 2000 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Galaxy Balloons, Inc. GALAXY 7, registered N52233, suffered minor damage in an accident near Inyokern, California. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's hard landing during a high wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2000 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Inyokern, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Galaxy Balloons, Inc. GALAXY 7
- Registration
- N52233 · no longer on the register · serial GLX-1627
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot anticipated encountering a light 2 to 4 mph wind during the flight with fare-paying passengers. During the flight the wind speed increased. After flying for 35 minutes, the pilot landed in a 12 mph wind.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 290 hours in all; 287 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 283 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 504 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2000; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 475 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IYK CA at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 118°F (48°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PMD, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.