What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On the morning of August 17, 2008, several tethered flights were conducted on private property located on stone ridge drive in Mountain Grove, Missouri (GPS location N37 07 57.6 by W92 13 33.3). During the second flight at 08:30 CST, piloted by privacy data omitted a propane leak was observed by several witnesses on the ground. privacy data omitted Was observed trying to stop the leak, when the burner ignited the propane, causing a large explosion and subsequent fire. Witnesses estimate that the aircraft was approximately 75 to 80 feet AGL when privacy data omitted jumped out of the basket in an attempt to escape the fire. Shortly thereafter, the suspension ropes failed, causing the envelope to seperate from the basket, which contained the burner and three 10 gallon propane cylinders. The fire engulfed basket landed several feet from privacy data omitted and a second cylinder exploded, as several ground crew members were attempting to rescue privacy data omitted. The two crew members reached, privacy data omitted, and state that while pulling him away from the fire a third explosion occured, knocking them down. One man was badly burned during the rescue attempt privacy data omitted injuries were fatal. Incident investigation is closed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 17, 2008, SEVERAL TETHERED FLIGHTS WERE CONDUCTED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY LOCATED ON STONE RIDGE DRIVE IN MOUNTAIN GROVE, MISSOURI (GPS LOCATION N37 07 57.6 BY W92 13 33.3). DURING THE SECOND FLIGHT AT 08:30 CST, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A PROPANE LEAK WAS OBSERVED BY SEVERAL WITNESSES ON THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS OBSERVED TRYING TO STOP THE LEAK, WHEN THE BURNER IGNITED THE PROPANE, CAUSING A LARGE EXPLOSION AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. WITNESSES ESTIMATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 80 FEET AGL WHEN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ JUMPED OUT OF THE BASKET IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE THE FIRE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SUSPENSION ROPES FAILED, CAUSING THE ENVELOPE TO SEPERATE FROM THE BASKET, WHICH CONTAINED THE BURNER AND THREE 10 GALLON PROPANE CYLINDERS. THE FIRE ENGULFED BASKET LANDED SEVERAL FEET FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND A SECOND CYLINDER EXPLODED, AS SEVERAL GROUND CREW MEMBERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO RESCUE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE TWO CREW MEMBERS REACHED, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND STATE THAT WHILE PULLING HIM AWAY FROM THE FIRE A THIRD EXPLOSION OCCURED, KNOCKING THEM DOWN. ONE MAN WAS BADLY BURNED DURING THE RESCUE ATTEMPT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INJURIES WERE FATAL. INCIDENT INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.