Cameron CAN-56 N20367
25 June 1994 · West Chicago, Illinois, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 25 June 1994 at about 12:15 local time, a Cameron CAN-56 registered N20367 was involved in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 12:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- West Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Coordinates
- 41.8802, -88.2190
- Aircraft
- Cameron CAN-56
- Registration
- N20367
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Geneva → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI94FA209
People
3 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilots failure to maintain vertical clearance above powerlines which bordered the field in which he intended to land. A factor associated with the accident were the powerlines.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE COMMERCIAL FREE BALLOON PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE PARTICIPATING IN A BALLOON RACE. THE PILOT HAD SELECTED A FIELD IN WHICH TO LAND, AND HIS CHASE CREW WAS POSITIONED IN THE FIELD WATCHING HIS APPROACH. THE PILOT DID NOT ADD HEAT AS HE CROSSED THE FINAL TREELINE. AS THE BALLOON CROSSED THE TREELINE AND ROAD WHICH BORDERED THE UPWIND EDGE OF THE LANDING FIELD, THE GONDOLA, SUPPORT CABLES, AND BOTTOM OF THE ENVELOPE CONTACTED POWERLINES AND THE PROPANE TANKS IGNITED. THE THREE OCCUPANTS FELL 30 FEET TO THE GROUND, SUSTAINING IMPACT INJURIES. THE EMPTY BALLOON REASCENDED, AND FINALLY CAME TO REST 5 MILES DOWNWIND OF THE POWERLINE IMPACT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-28-140 | Kankakee, Illinois, United States | Koerner Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1994 | Cessna 150 | Alton, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 1994 | Remote Sensing CIRRUS VK-30 | Lk In the Hills, Illinois, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Jul 1994 | Cessna 175 | Cottage Hill, Illinois, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-22 | Harvard, Illinois, United States | Edwin D. Swart | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 1994 | Hucke Ronald L PARSON-2P | Monmouth, Illinois, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |