Cameron Balloons Z-90 N4505B

Summary

On 20 March 2021 at about 14:25 local time, a Cameron Balloons Z-90 registered N4505B, operated by RET Richard V, was involved in an accident near Celina, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 March 2021 at 14:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Celina, Texas, United States

Coordinates

33.3186, -96.7781

Aircraft

Cameron Balloons Z-90

Registration

N4505B

Category

Balloon

Year built

2003

Operator

RET Richard V

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mckinney → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA164

Nobody was injured.

The malfunction of the balloon’s envelope venting system during landing in high wind, which resulted in the balloon being dragged along the ground, substantially damaging the envelope.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported that while setting up to land in a field following a 1.3 hour flight to reestablish his solo currency, he noted on final approach that the venting system, used to release air from the envelope for descents, landings, and deflation, had malfunctioned. The pilot attempted to correct the problem while continuing to land. Immediately on landing, the balloon began to spinnaker and drag along the ground. The balloon finally came to a stop beneath powerlines adjacent to a road. The balloon sustained substantial damage to several lower panels of the envelope between the skirt and the equator. The pilot reported that not all the Velcro tabs to the parachute top of the venting system may have properly released prior to launch, which he believed was responsible for the outcome he experienced. The pilot also reported the wind was higher at the time of the accident than it was at the time of the launch, which was 5 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.