General Balloon AX-6 accident near Pilot Hill, California, July 14, 1988
On July 14, 1988 at about 2:45 pm local time, a General Balloon AX-6, registered N2614M, was involved in an accident near Pilot Hill, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- July 14, 1988 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pilot Hill, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- General Balloon AX-6
- Registration
- N2614M · no longer on the register · serial 533
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE BALLOON. THE PILOT MADE A HIGH WIND LANDING. THE BALLOON WAS DRAGGED SEVERAL FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTERWARD THE WINDS RETURNED TO CALM.
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: 498 hours in all; 498 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 489 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1988; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pilot Hill CA at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 110 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:45 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.