What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 17, 2001, at 1920 central daylight time, a cameron balloon shuttle 90, N8094S, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a descent for landing when the balloon's envelope caught on fire. The balloon was participating in a balloon festival in Centralia, Illinois. The pilot reported looking up prior to a burn when he saw the entire mouth of the balloon on fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 business flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The local flight originated from a city park in Centralia, Illinois at 1830. (-23) according to the witnesses the balloon inflated and departed the launch site north east of Centralia, IL at approximately 7:00 pm on August 17, 2001. At approximately 7:20 pm at an altitude of approximately 50 feet the pilot discovered the envelope had caught fire and immediately descended for landing. At an altitude of approximately 6 feet the pilot and passenger departed the basket with burn injuries. The basket and envelope ascended to an altitude of approximately 100 feet and continued to burn which eventually destroyed it and it settled into a nearby field.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 17, 2001, AT 1920 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CAMERON BALLOON SHUTTLE 90, N8094S, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED DURING A DESCENT FOR LANDING WHEN THE BALLOON'S ENVELOPE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE BALLOON WAS PARTICIPATING IN A BALLOON FESTIVAL IN CENTRALIA, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT REPORTED LOOKING UP PRIOR TO A BURN WHEN HE SAW THE ENTIRE MOUTH OF THE BALLOON ON FIRE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A CITY PARK IN CENTRALIA, ILLINOIS AT 1830. (-23) ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES THE BALLOON INFLATED AND DEPARTED THE LAUNCH SITE NORTH EAST OF CENTRALIA, IL AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 PM ON AUGUST 17, 2001. AT APPROXIMATELY 7:20 PM AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET THE PILOT DISCOVERED THE ENVELOPE HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED FOR LANDING. AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED THE BASKET WITH BURN INJURIES. THE BASKET AND ENVELOPE ASCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AND CONTINUED TO BURN WHICH EVENTUALLY DESTROYED IT AND IT SETTLED INTO A NEARBY FIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.