Cameron Balloons Z-90 accident near Burlington, Wisconsin, June 2, 2022
On June 2, 2022 at about 1:15 am local time, a 2017 Cameron Balloons Z-90, registered N65009, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Burlington, Wisconsin. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s selection of an inappropriate landing location and his failure to avoid an oncoming freight train, which resulted in the train colliding with and dragging the balloon.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2022 · about 1:15 am local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Burlington, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons Z-90, built 2017 · all Z-90s on the register
- Registration
- N65009 · no longer on the register · serial 6612
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was making an approach from the southeast to land the hot air balloon on a road that paralleled railroad tracks. A freight train was traveling northbound on the tracks at the same time. The balloon initially touched down in a grassy area east of the road, between the road and the railroad tracks. The balloon skipped normally and stopped near the railroad tracks. The balloon envelope dipped as a result of being slightly deflated for the landing and caught on one of the uprights of an empty lumber car as it passed, which lifted the balloon off the ground and dragged it. As the balloon was dragged, the uprights, envelope, burners, and fuel lines separated from the basket and the pilot and passengers were ejected. The engineer in the engine cab immediately stopped the train. The basket came to rest inverted along the east side of the railroad tracks. The envelope climbed to 200 ft. and drifted north until it cooled and came to rest on the road, about 80 ft from the basket. The pilot misjudged the landing, which placed him too close to the railroad tracks and resulted in the balloon’s envelope being caught and the balloon being dragged by the freight train as it went by.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 983 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 832 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Burlington WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KBUU, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBUU 020055Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM 19/13 A2992 RMK AO2 T01870126 PWINO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on July 6, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Scene | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's E-mail | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Train Conductor's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Train Video Looking Aft | video | View Download |
| 8 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N65009: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cameron Balloons Z-90 69 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cameron Balloons 208 aircraft on the register
- Accidents and incidents in Wisconsin 1,622 since 1982 · 226 in the last ten years
- Wisconsin 6,162 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA221.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.