# NTSB DEN92LA095: Cameron V-77, N7403U, Littleton, CO, September 24, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 24, 1992, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place: Littleton, CO
- Coordinates: 39.539073, -104.959953 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5391&lon=-104.9600&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 29, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 18237
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN92LA095
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18237/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN92LA095

## Probable cause

UNDETERMINED.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WINDS WERE CALM WHEN THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WINDS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. SHE STATED THAT THE FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED BECAUSE OF THE HIGH WIND. SHE THEN BRIEFED HER PASSENGERS ON HIGH WIND LANDING PROCEDURES. SHE LEVELLED OFF AT 40 FEET, THEN PULLED THE ENVELOPE RIP CORD. THE BALLOON MADE A HARD LANDING AND OVERTURNED. AVAILABLE WEATHER DATA COULD NOT CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF HIGH WIND VELOCITIES IN THE DENVER AREA AT THE TIME.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7403U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7403U-2013-08-09), registration cancelled 2013-08-09, S/N 5109 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cameron V-77
- Registry model: [Cameron Balloons US V-77](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-us-v-77) (registry code 1880206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 5109
- Airframe hours: 171
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Payne, Kathie A.
- Registered owner: Payne, Kathie A.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 12, 1992, 8 hours before
- Departed: NONE
- Destination: NONE

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 36; commercial; flight hours: 179 total, 179 in this make and model, 142 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

## 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 19920924038829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920924038829A), Sep 24, 1992: Camron V77CAMERON, Littleton, CO. High wind landing. Pulled rip cord too soon. Balloon dropped 40 feet to hard landing. Passenger fractured clavicle.

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.

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