Cameron A-210 N6085C

Summary

On 15 April 1996 at about 14:49 local time, a Cameron A-210 registered N6085C was involved in an accident near Cave Creek, Arizona, United States. 9 people were on board and 2 died, 4 were seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 April 1996 at 14:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Cave Creek, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.8809, -111.9094

Aircraft

Cameron A-210

Registration

N6085C

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA169

2 people died.

the pilot's failure to follow the flight manual procedure by not turning off the burner's pilot shutoff valves. Factors relating to the accident were: the installation of improper (unapproved wooden) upright rods by company maintenance personnel, subsequent failure of the upright rods, and the manufacturer's unclear information concerning the replacement parts.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A flight of four balloons was landing in a prearranged open area after completion of a sight-seeing local area tour. During the landing, the pilot of N6085C did not turn off the fuel tanks or the pilot light burners as required by the flight manual for high wind landings. During the landing, the balloon's basket drug about 422 feet along the ground before it tipped onto its side. The basket then dragged about 69 feet before the previously installed wooden upright rods broke and the basket flipped inverted and came to a stop. After the balloon had stopped, someone inadvertently actuated the burner's blast valve, and a fire immediately erupted. All but one of the occupants evacuated the basket. The operator reported that on the day preceding the accident, the nylon upright rods broke during inflation of the balloon, and they were replaced with wooden upright rods. Examination showed no evidence of any preexisting fuel tank system malfunction or failure. The manufacturer's proprietary drawings showed that only nylon or lexan rods were to be used; this requirement, however, was not specifically noted in the balloon's flight or maintenance manual. The Cameron Balloon Parts Catalog specifically required the approved upright rods.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.