20160904016229A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Cameron Balloons Z-90 · Mitchell, NE · September 4, 2016

Date: September 4, 2016 · 11:30 local
Place: Mitchell, NE
Airport: Western Neb. Regional/William B. H
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N982ZS
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN16LA352
Reported as: Cameron Balloons Z-90
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 96 total96 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N982ZSRegistered now · Cameron Balloons Z-90S/N 6198 · Built 1998 Airframe modelCameron Balloons Z-90 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

September 4, 2016, 0930 CST Sunday morning balloon N982ZS moving north, northwest at 1 knot struck power lines while attemping to land. Balloon lost all forward movement due to lack of wind and contacted power lines which shorted and sent an electrical charge through the balloons temperature sensing wiring. The balloon came to rest with the basket on the ground and the envelope draped over the power lines.

As the FAA filed it

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016, 0930 CST SUNDAY MORNING BALLOON N982ZS MOVING NORTH, NORTHWEST AT 1 KNOT STRUCK POWER LINES WHILE ATTEMPING TO LAND. BALLOON LOST ALL FORWARD MOVEMENT DUE TO LACK OF WIND AND CONTACTED POWER LINES WHICH SHORTED AND SENT AN ELECTRICAL CHARGE THROUGH THE BALLOONS TEMPERATURE SENSING WIRING. THE BALLOON CAME TO REST WITH THE BASKET ON THE GROUND AND THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE POWER LINES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN16LA352Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMorrill, NEThe pilot’s improper inflight fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and an inability to avoid contact with power lines.Sep 4, 2016 · Substantial damage