No fatalities

AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8 accident at St. George, UT, 29 Nov 2020

St. George, UT, United States

On November 29, 2020, an AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8 operated by SCOTT J. GNEITING was involved in an aviation accident near St. George, UT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon and a member of the ground crews entanglement with a tether rope, which resulted in a serious injury when they fell to the ground after the balloon unexpectedly ascended. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon and a member of the ground crews entanglement with a tether rope, which resulted in a serious injury when they fell to the ground after the balloon unexpectedly ascended.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotGround crew

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 29 Nov 2020 AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8 accident near St. George, UT?

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon and a member of the ground crews entanglement with a tether rope, which resulted in a serious injury when they fell to the ground after the balloon unexpectedly ascended.

Were there any fatalities in the 29 Nov 2020 AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 29 Nov 2020 involved an AEROSTAR INTERNATIONAL INC RX 8, operated by SCOTT J. GNEITING, at St. George, UT.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the balloon and a member of the ground crews entanglement with a tether rope, which resulted in a serious injury when they fell to the ground after the balloon unexpectedly ascended.