Kubicek BB60 accident near Goodsprings, Nevada, September 12, 2019
On September 12, 2019 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2018 Kubicek BB60 (balloon), registered N505CZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Goodsprings, Nevada. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper descent rate during the approach to landing, which resulted in a hard landing and serious injuries to the pilot and two passengers.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2019 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Goodsprings, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kubicek BB60 Z, built 2018
- Registration
- N505CZ · registry record · serial 1207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, after about 1 hour into the flight, the wind changed, and the balloon’s direction shifted south toward terrain that was not suitable for a balloon landing. The pilot then aligned the balloon with a more suitable landing location and began the descent. As the balloon neared the surface, the wind increased, and the pilot briefed the passengers of a potential high-wind landing. He pulled the vent line, but the balloon did not deflate as he expected. The balloon landed hard, and the pilot and several passengers were ejected from the basket. Afterward, the balloon flew at a low level for about 0.5 mile, and the remaining three passengers were ejected from the basket. The balloon came to rest on a hillside in remote desert terrain. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the balloon.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 2,089 hours in all; 38 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,023 as pilot in command; 283 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Vegas Hot Air Sin City Balloon Rides
The flight
- Departed from: Las Vegas NV at 2:50 pm
- Destination: Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 27.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KHND, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 6 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 25, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photograph Courtesy of FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.