Cameron Balloons US N-77 accident near Plano, Texas, September 21, 2008
On September 21, 2008 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cameron Balloons US N-77, registered N4003P, suffered minor damage in an accident during enroute near Plano, Texas. It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2008 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Plano, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons US N-77 · all N-77s on the register
- Registration
- N4003P · no longer on the register · serial 5666
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who traveled to the scene, the pilot was participating in a hot-air balloon competition. The pilot called her ground crew while en route and reported that all three propane tanks were empty. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a parking lot and bounced three times before the balloon came to rest. She stated that the balloon's propane tanks had been filled the night prior to the accident flight and contained 30 gallons of fuel. The burner and fuel system consisted of three fuel tanks designated "master," "slave one," and "slave two." She advised that she flew on slave one until it was exhausted. She verified that the master tank contained fuel, then flew on slave two until it contained approximately 15 percent fuel remaining. Upon switching back to the master tank she noted that for an unknown reason, it too now contained approximately 15 per cent fuel remaining. She began looking for a suitable place for a forced landing. The basket sustained minor damage and the balloon envelope was not damaged. The pilot sustained a broken leg. An examination of the balloon systems revealed no anomalies.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Plano TX at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Plano TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from ADS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4003P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 DEN08LA158.