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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2008 · about 2:00 pm local time · cases in 2008
- 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 other cases naming the fuel system
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the fuel system
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4003P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4003P: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cameron Balloons Us N-77 14 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N4003P 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN08LA158.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.