A hot air balloon trip came to an uneventful ending earlier this week after crashing into the side of a casino just after noon.
The balloon was part of a celebration marking the beginning of construction of a new hotel at Sky River Casino in the Sacramento, California area. Authorities said the balloon lifted up unexpectedly due to high winds. It then struck a power line and rammed into the side of the casino before eventually ending up in a field.
“Due to unexpected heavy winds, the pilot chose to launch into free flight in accordance with safety protocols,” Sky River Casino said in a statement. “The balloon and pilot have landed safely.”
No Injuries Reported
The pilot was the only person on board and was uninjured in the crash. Video of the incident shows the balloon drifting unsteadily above the parking lot. The lighter-than-air craft then hits the side of the casino before rising up over the roof.
The balloon continues drifting with a highway visible in the background as the basket swings erratically. The craft then picks up speed, moving over the highway and some other nearby industrial buildings.
Approaching a grassy field, the balloon seems to slow down quite a bit and drifts above the highway and other buildings below. Footage of the trip from local media shows the balloon much higher and accelerating at a faster speed with the basket off kilter.
The strange trip came to an end after about 20 minutes with what appears to be a fairly soft landing in a green field.
Watch the complete video of the event below:
‘A Giant-Sized Balloon’
Any damage to the casino, power line, or balloon is unknown as of now. Authorities later notified the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board about the incident, which attracted some interest from onlookers.
“We were watching it live as he was struggling,” a local resident told CBS Sacramento. “It’s almost like when a balloon goes up from a child’s birthday party and seeing how it deteriorates – this was just a giant-sized balloon.”
Casinos have been home to some other strange events through the years. In 2024, a rare bird made a stop in the lake at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, causing the property’s popular fountain shows to be suspended. In 2007, Phil Hellmuth crashed a racecar in the parking lot at the Rio during the World Series of Poker.
