Cameron ET-90 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, April 26, 1994
On April 26, 1994 at about 12:08 pm local time, a Cameron ET-90 (balloon), registered N898ET, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM WIRES DURING THE LANDING APPROACH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IS A DOWNDRAFT THAT EXCEEDED THE BALLOON'S AVAILABLE CLIMB CAPABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1994 · about 12:08 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron ET-90
- Registration
- N898ET · no longer on the register · serial 2901
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND SENT UP THREE WEATHER BALLOONS PRIOR TO LAUNCHING ON THE FLIGHT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER INITIATING FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED DARKENING SKIES AND DECIDED TO LAND THE BALLOON SHORT OF THE DESTINATION. THE PILOT CHOSE A LANDING AREA IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO POWERLINES AND AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. HE STATED THAT HE ESTABLISHED A GLIDE PATH SO THAT HE WOULD CLEAR THE TOPS OF THE POWERLINES BY 20 FEET. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT THE BALLOON ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND STRUCK THE POWERLINES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,277 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,177 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 99 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1994; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,680 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brown Foreman Beverage Company
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:08 pm from LOU, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.