20070702014899A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cambal Z-77 · Battle Creek, MI · July 2, 2007

Date: July 2, 2007 · 20:45 local
Place: Battle Creek, MI
Airport: W K Kellogg
Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4021M
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI07CA189
Reported as: Cambal Z77
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 895 total31 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N4021MRegistered now · Cameron Balloons US Z-77S/N 6454 · Built 2006 Airframe modelCameron Balloons US Z-77 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft landed safely in light to no-wind conditions. As the envelope began deflating and collapsing toward burner equipment, pilot began rotating burner assembly away from envelope. Envelope-skirt material inadvertently drug across fuel levers causing raw fuel to be dispersed into the envelope cavity and igniting, causing envelope and basket to catch fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY IN LIGHT TO NO-WIND CONDITIONS. AS THE ENVELOPE BEGAN DEFLATING AND COLLAPSING TOWARD BURNER EQUIPMENT, PILOT BEGAN ROTATING BURNER ASSEMBLY AWAY FROM ENVELOPE. ENVELOPE-SKIRT MATERIAL INADVERTENTLY DRUG ACROSS FUEL LEVERS CAUSING RAW FUEL TO BE DISPERSED INTO THE ENVELOPE CAVITY AND IGNITING, CAUSING ENVELOPE AND BASKET TO CATCH FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI07CA189Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportBattle Creek, MIThe whisper burner's fuel valve opening for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a fire after landing. A factor in the accident was the balloon envelope's parachute top not reseating.Jul 3, 2007 · Substantial damage