Cameron A-400 N6954Y
1 April 2019 · Yountville, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 1 April 2019 at about 14:57 local time, a Cameron A-400 registered N6954Y was involved in an accident near Yountville, California, United States. 22 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:57
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Yountville, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 38.3961, -122.3578
- Aircraft
- Cameron A-400
- Registration
- N6954Y
- Category
- Balloon
- Year built
- 2017
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Yountville → Yountville
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR19LA104
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 19 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s inability to maintain obstacle clearance after the balloon’s encounter with a downdraft, which resulted in a collision with power lines.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During cruise flight, the balloon encountered a sudden downdraft. The pilot arrested the descent to level flight, but not in time to prevent the bottom of the basket from contacting nearby power lines. The pilot subsequently landed the balloon without further incident. One passenger sustained serious injuries. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug 2019 | Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000 | Camarillo, California, United States | N43FD Airplane LLC. | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Feb 2019 | Cessna 402 | Montague, California, United States | Redding Aero Enterprises Inc | No injuries | - |
| 6 Aug 2019 | Boeing 737 | SFO International Airport, California, United States | United Air Lines Inc | No injuries | - |
| 25 Oct 2019 | Piper PA28R | Shelter Cove, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Mar 2019 | North American T28 | Compton, California, United States | Tomorrows Aeronautical Museum | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 May 2019 | Grumman G164 | Pleasant Grove, California, United States | Moe's Crop Dusting Service Inc. | Fatal | 2 |