Cameron Balloons Z-90 accident near Celina, Texas, March 20, 2021
On March 20, 2021 at about 2:25 pm local time, a 2003 Cameron Balloons Z-90, registered N4505B, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Celina, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2021 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Celina, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons Z-90 NO SERIES, built 2003 · all Z-90s on the register
- Registration
- N4505B · registry record · serial 6317
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › (general) › (general) › Malfunction
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 939 hours in all; 939 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 11, 2020
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 349 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 2021; 1 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: TKI Mckinney TX at 1:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KTKI, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTKI 201353Z 12005KT 10SM CLR 09/05 A3036 RMK AO2 SLP289 T00890050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN21LA164.