Cameron Balloons A-105 accident near Morgantown, West Virginia, October 21, 2001
On October 21, 2001, a Cameron Balloons A-105, registered N991FA, suffered minor damage in an accident near Morgantown, West Virginia. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passengers failure to remain in the balloon basket after landing which resulted in the inadvertent lift-off of the balloon and subsequent injury to the pilot. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform a passenger briefing prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2001
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons A-105
- Registration
- N991FA · registry record · serial 5990
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The balloon made a hard landing and came to rest on the ground. The pilot climbed out of the basket to vent the balloon and was soon followed by the passengers. As the last passenger exited the basket, the balloon began to rise back into the air with the pilot hanging onto the vent line. The pilot ascended into the air and rose as high as the tree line before the balloon began a descent back to the ground. After the pilot touched back down on the ground, the basket of the balloon landed on top of his ankle. The pilot included an Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation when he submitted the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report. It stated, "Re-Emphasize safety briefing just prior to landing to ensure all passengers remain within the basket until balloon has cooled (no lift present)." According to the Balloon Flying Handbook, "Some passengers, believing the flight is over as soon as the basket makes contact with the ground, will start to get out. Even a small amount of wind may cause the basket to bounce and slide after initial touchdown. If a 200-pound passenger decides to exit the basket at this point, the balloon will immediately begin to ascend." "Monitoring of passengers is important because, after the balloon first touches down, passengers may forget everything they have been told." "It is very important that the passenger briefing be given more than once."
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: 803 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 688 as pilot in command; 125 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2001; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGW Morgantown WV at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from MGW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.