# Accident 20010817025799A: Cameron Balloons US SHUTTLE 90, Centralia, IL, August 17, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 17, 2001, 19:20 local time
- Place: Centralia, IL
- Airport: Centralia Municipal Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5203° N, 89.1196° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5203&lon=-89.1196&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8094S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8094S-2002-01-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cameron Balloons US SHUTTLE 90 (registry code 1880290, https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-us-shuttle-90) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI01LA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA284) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010817025799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI01LA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA284), Aug 18, 2001: Cameron Balloons Shuttle 90 (N8094S), Centralia, IL, destroyed. Probable cause: The balloon envelope fire. A contributing factor was the flammability of the envelope.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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