# NTSB DEN08LA158: Cameron Balloons US N-77, N4003P, Plano, TX, September 21, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 21, 2008, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Plano, TX - Coordinates: 33.023612, -96.76667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0236&lon=-96.7667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 25, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 68971 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08LA158 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68971/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA158 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel management, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fuel system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation; cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 181 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cameron Balloons US N-77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1880255), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who traveled to the scene, the pilot was participating in a hot-air balloon competition. The pilot called her ground crew while en route and reported that all three propane tanks were empty. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a parking lot and bounced three times before the balloon came to rest. She stated that the balloon's propane tanks had been filled the night prior to the accident flight and contained 30 gallons of fuel. The burner and fuel system consisted of three fuel tanks designated "master," "slave one," and "slave two." She advised that she flew on slave one until it was exhausted. She verified that the master tank contained fuel, then flew on slave two until it contained approximately 15 percent fuel remaining. Upon switching back to the master tank she noted that for an unknown reason, it too now contained approximately 15 per cent fuel remaining. She began looking for a suitable place for a forced landing. The basket sustained minor damage and the balloon envelope was not damaged. The pilot sustained a broken leg. An examination of the balloon systems revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On September 21, 2008, approximately 0900 central daylight time, a Cameron Balloons US N-77, N4003P, piloted by a private pilot, sustained minor damaged during a forced landing in Plano, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained serious injuries and her passenger was not injured. The local flight departed Plano East Senior High School approximately 0800 and was en route to Clark Stadium. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who traveled to the scene, the pilot was participating in a hot-air balloon competition. The pilot called her ground crew while en route and reported that all three propane tanks were empty. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a parking lot and bounced three times before the balloon came to rest. The basket sustained minor damage and the balloon envelope was not damaged. The pilot sustained a broken leg. During a telephone interview with the pilot on October 24th, she stated that the balloon's propane tanks had been filled the night prior to the accident flight and contained 30 gallons of fuel. The burner and fuel system consisted of three fuel tanks designated "master", "slave one", and "slave two." She advised that she flew on slave one until it was exhausted. She verified that the master tank contained fuel, then flew on slave two until it contained approximately 15 percent fuel remaining. Upon switching back to the master tank she noted that for an unknown reason, it too now contained approximately 15 per cent fuel remaining. She began looking for a suitable place for a forced landing. An examination of the fuel system revealed no anomalies. A porosity test on the balloon envelope was not performed. Multiple attempts to obtain a National Transportation Safety Board form 6120.1 with additional accident details from the pilot were unsuccessful. Several attempts to obtain maintenance records to verify Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive compliance pertaining to fuel system and burner modifications from the pilot were also unsuccessful. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4003P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4003P-2018-01-18), registration cancelled 2018-01-18, S/N 5666, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cameron Balloons US N-77 - Registry model: [Cameron Balloons US N-77](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-us-n-77) (registry code 1880255) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 5666 - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Air race/show, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Plano, TX - Destination: Plano, TX - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; injuries: serious; private ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: ADS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080921845949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080921845949A), Sep 21, 2008: Camron N77, Plano, TX, No damage. (-23) On September 21, 2008, approximatelly 0900 central daylight time, a cameron N-77 hot air balloon, N4003P, descended rapidly, impacted the ground, and… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.