Thunder And Colt Colt 120 A accident near Moreno Valley, California, February 23, 2002
On February 23, 2002 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Thunder And Colt Colt 120 A (balloon), registered N240TC, was involved in an accident near Moreno Valley, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate handling of the aircraft. High winds were a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2002 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Moreno Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thunder And Colt Colt 120 A
- Registration
- N240TC · no longer on the register · serial N249TC
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot intended to conduct a 30-minute flight with the nine passengers, and then land in a field where the passengers would exist and another group of passengers would board. During the landing descent, the pilot encountered high winds. The balloon struck the ground, and dragged across the ground about 70 yards before coming to a stop.
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: 922 hours in all; 14 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 922 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: L65 Perris at 7:10 am
- Destination: Moreno Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 | 5 |
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.