Thunder Balloons, Ltd. LTD. accident near Fountain Valley, California, May 8, 1982
On May 8, 1982 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Thunder Balloons, Ltd. LTD., registered GBJZC, suffered minor damage in an accident near Fountain Valley, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1982 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fountain Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thunder Balloons, Ltd. LTD.
- Registration
- GBJZC · no longer on the register · serial 416
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE BALLOON WAS INFLATED AND ESTABLISHED WEIGH-OFF PROCEDURES WERE CONDUCTED. AT THE END OF THE WEIGHT-OFF PROCEDURE, AS THE BALLOON WAS BEING WALKED BY THE GROUND HANDLERS, AN INCREASE IN WIND VELOCITY CAUSED THE BASKET TO BE PULLED FREE FROM THEIR GRASP. THE BALLOONS GONDOLA WAS DRAGGED ACROSS THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 100 YARDS, COLLIDED WITH A PORTABLE STAGE, WENT UP AND OVER THE ROOF OF THE STAGE, AND COLLIDED WITH A TOW TRUCK CAUSING A PASSENGER TO FALL OUT BEFORE BECOMING AIRBORNE. IT SUCCESSFULLY LANDED ABOUT 13 MILES NORTH OF THE TAKEOFF SITE. A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORCASTER AT THE SITE STATED THAT WINDS WERE 180 DEGREES AT 7 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 10 MPH AT 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,423 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fountain Valley CA at 12:45 pm
- Destination: Fountain Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 153°F (67°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.