Aerostar RX-8 accident near Lucerne Valley, California, December 30, 1995
On December 30, 1995 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Aerostar RX-8 (balloon), registered N70107, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lucerne Valley, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the balloon's encounter with unexpected high wind conditions, and the pilot's inability to stop the balloon prior to contacting ground obstructions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1995 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lucerne Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar RX-8
- Registration
- N70107 · no longer on the register · serial 3198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the first flight of the morning was completed successfully, and new passengers were boarded for the accident flight. As the balloon achieved 3,000 feet agl during the flight, the ground crew radioed the pilot that the surface winds were rapidly increasing and were now at 20 knots. The pilot initiated a high wind landing in a field by actuating the top vent at 18 feet agl. The balloon touched down firmly and was dragged by the winds about 1,500 feet along the ground until it was stopped by a chain link fence and metal shed.
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: 350 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 189 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 30, 1994; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Apple Valley CA at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.