Cameron O-84 accident near Taos, New Mexico, August 26, 1990
On August 26, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cameron O-84 (balloon), registered N74000, suffered minor damage in an accident near Taos, New Mexico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND. A FACTOR WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND ENCOUNTERED LATE IN THE ATTEMPTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Taos, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron O-84
- Registration
- N74000 · no longer on the register · serial 5094
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON WAS APPROACHING AN OPEN FIELD FOR LANDING AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS WERE LIGHT AND THE BALLOON'S RATE OF DESCENT WAS SUFFICIENT TO CLEAR A POWERLINE, WHICH IT DID. APPROXIMATELY 5-10 FEET AGL, THE PILOT NOTICED THE WIND HAD SHIFTED AND WAS MOVING THE BALLOON TOWARDS THE POWERLINE, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS ABOUT 100 FEET AWAY. THE PILOT FIRED BOTH PROPANE BURNERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO-AROUND. THE BALLOON BEGAN CLIMBING BUT CONTACTED THE POWERLINE. ONE PASSENGER WAS ELECTROCUTED AND FELL OUT OF THE BASKET. THE PILOT LANDED THE BALLOON IN AN ADJOINING FIELD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 6,700 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 205 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1990; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,680 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Taos NM at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from SAF, 54 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.