# NTSB FTW01LA213: Cameron Balloon N-77, N60206, McKinney, TX, September 29, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 29, 2001, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: McKinney, TX - Coordinates: 33.179981, -96.589042 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1800&lon=-96.5890&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 53537 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA213 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53537/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA213 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the fence while landing. A contributing factor was the high wind condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - object - fence - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot received a weather briefing and when they launched the balloon, the wind was as reported during the briefing. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the wind speed had increased. The pilot told his passenger that they were going to conduct a "lay down landing," and he briefed her on the proper landing position. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when both he and his passenger saw a fence in their flight path that they "had not seen before." The pilot attempted to slow the descent; however, they were too close, and the balloon basket impacted the fence. The passenger was thrown forward against the other side of the basket where she impacted and broke her arm. The balloon subsequently impacted the ground and drug approximately 300 feet before coming to a stop. The passenger reported that she had flown with the pilot on numerous occasions and was familiar with the balloon. She knew they were going to hit the fence; however, she "must not have been holding on tight enough" since she was thrown to the opposite side of the balloon basket. ## Factual narrative On September 29, 2001, at 0830 central daylight time, a Cameron Balloon N-77 hot-air balloon, N60206, was not damaged when it impacted a fence post while landing in a field near McKinney, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, his passenger sustained serious injuries when she was thrown from the balloon basket. The balloon was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The local flight departed a field at an unknown time. According to the pilot's written statement, he received a weather briefing from the Fort Worth Flight Service Station at 0530, and when they launched the flight, at 0745, the wind was as reported during the briefing. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the wind speed had increased. The pilot told his passenger that they were going to conduct a "lay down landing," and briefed her on the proper landing position. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when both he and his passenger saw a fence in their flight path that they "had not seen before." The pilot attempted to slow the descent; however, they were too close, and the balloon basket impacted the fence. The passenger was thrown forward against the other side of the basket and sustained a broken arm. The balloon subsequently impacted the ground and drug approximately 300 feet before coming to a stop. During a telephone interview, conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the passenger stated that she had flown with the pilot on numerous occasions and was familiar with the balloon. She reported that during the flight, the wind speed increased. The pilot was attempting to land in a field when they saw the fence that was not previously visible, and the descent rate was too excessive to avoid the fence. She knew they were going to hit the fence; however, she "must not have been holding on tight enough" since she was thrown to the opposite side of the balloon basket. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N60206](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60206-2018-01-25), registration cancelled 2018-01-25, S/N 5468, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cameron Balloon 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: 5468 - Airframe hours: 251.6 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Registered owner: Garry W. George - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 24, 2001, 24.7 hours before - Departed: NONE, McKinney, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; flight hours: 988 total, 74 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20010929037349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010929037349A), Sep 29, 2001: Camron N77, Gunter, TX, No damage. (-23) No narrative. 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.