Eagle Aircraft Co. C-7 accident near San Juan Bautis, California, January 24, 1993
On January 24, 1993 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Eagle Aircraft Co. C-7 (balloon), registered N7000J, was involved in an accident near San Juan Bautis, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND THE UNFAVORABLE WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1993 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan Bautis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eagle Aircraft Co. C-7
- Registration
- N7000J · registry record · serial E81710
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS LIFTED OFF AT 0800 HOURS FOR A SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT. HE SAID THE WINDS WERE CALM AT THE TIME OF LIFT OFF BUT ABOUT AN HOUR LATER WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND, THE WINDS INCREASED IN VELOCITY. HE SAID THAT DUE TO FLOODED AREAS, OBSTRUCTIONS, AND 'BRISK' GROUND WINDS, HE ABORTED SEVERAL LANDING ATTEMPTS. THE PILOT FOUND A CLEAR, OPEN AND DRY LANDING AREA. ON THE FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT, THE BASKET TIPPED AND ONE PASSENGER FELL PARTIALLY OUT OF THE BASKET. HE AND THE OTHER PASSENGER PULLED THE PASSENGER BACK IN THE BASKET. THE PILOT SAID THE BALLOON THEN LIFTED OVER A FENCE, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND TIPPED AGAIN. THE TWO PASSENGERS FELL OUT OF THE BASKET AND WERE DRAGGED BY THE BALLOON UNTIL IT STOPPED. THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS WERE 10 MILES PER HOUR GUSTING TO 15 MILES PER HOUR WHEN HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N7000J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. 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 LAX93LA106.