Cameron O-65 accident near Clinton, Louisiana, August 23, 1996
On August 23, 1996 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cameron O-65 (balloon), registered N2035C, suffered minor damage in an accident near Clinton, Louisiana. It was an instructional 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 instructor pilot's failure to follow recommended procedures to properly brace himself in preparation for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1996 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Clinton, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron O-65
- Registration
- N2035C · registry record · serial 5382
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon instructor reported that he and his student had been practicing touch-and-go landings. When they landed for the third time, the instructor sustained a broken ankle. The instructor stated that the 'approach and landing were normal in my estimation and the landing was not excessively hard. I just must have failed to brace properly.'
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: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Zachary LA at 12:35 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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.