Cameron Balloons US A-275 accident near Wittmann, Arizona, October 17, 2024
On October 17, 2024 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 2021 Cameron Balloons US A-275, registered N275AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Wittmann, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during an approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2024 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wittmann, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons US A-275, built 2021 · all A-275s on the register
- Registration
- N275AZ · registry record · serial 6926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during an approach to his landing area, he observed a power line in his flight path. He attempted to stop the balloon’s descent, but the basket still collided with the power line. The balloon sustained substantial damage to a suspension cable that severed from the collision. The pilot reported that that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 5,020 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 49,840 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 6, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 513.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 16, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Na (none); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rainbow Ryders INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 am from KGEU, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGEU 171447Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW150 21/07 A2978
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR25LA023.