Cameron 0-105 accident near Piermont, New Hampshire, July 15, 2021
On July 15, 2021 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 1984 Cameron 0-105 (balloon), registered N2925L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Piermont, New Hampshire. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The balloon pilot’s delay in relighting the burner, which resulted in a hard landing and his ejection from the balloon.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2021 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Piermont, New Hampshire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron 0-105, built 1984
- Registration
- N2925L · registry record · serial 0-105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon departed with the pilot and four passengers for a commercial sightseeing flight. About 45 minutes into the flight, the burner’s pilot light extinguished. The pilot told the passengers that he had to switch propane tanks; however, he could not locate the striker to relight the burner. The balloon started to descend while the pilot searched the balloon basket for the striker, and several minutes later, he located a backup striker. The balloon had descended close to the ground by the time the pilot re-lit the pilot light, and he could not get the balloon to climb before impacting a field. One passenger and the pilot were thrown from the basket upon impact. The balloon then started to rise, and the pilot’s foot was trapped between the balloon attach rope and the basket frame. The pilot untangled his foot but remained hanging below the basket for about 1 mile before falling to a field and suffering fatal injuries. The remaining passengers contacted ground support personnel via a handheld radio and received instructions on how to operate the balloon controls in preparation for landing. The balloon traveled about another 3.5 miles before landing in trees. Examination of the balloon did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Had the pilot been able to relight the burner in a timely manner, it was likely that he would have been able to sufficiently arrest the balloon’s descent rate to prevent the hard landing.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (descent)
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 2B9 Post Mills VT at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from LEB, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLEB 152353Z 16004KT 10SM CLR 23/19 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP138 T02330194 10306 20233 56012
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 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 | Memorandum for the Record - Passenger Interview | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Map of Accident Site | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for the Record - Wreckage Examination | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 9 pages · our copy | View Download |
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.