What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Approximately 20 minutes after lift off, the pilot light on the balloon's propane burner extinguished for unknown reasons, and multiple attempts to relight it were unsuccessful. Because the balloon was descending near power lines, the pilot pulled the rip cord to vent the envelope in order to rapidly lose the remaining altitude. The balloon envelope contacted the power lines just before touching down, igniting the balloon. The passenger and pilot were able to exit the basket and run to safety. The envelope and basket were destroyed in the fire.
As the FAA filed it
APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER LIFT OFF, THE PILOT LIGHT ON THE BALLOON'S PROPANE BURNER EXTINGUISHED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, AND MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RELIGHT IT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. BECAUSE THE BALLOON WAS DESCENDING NEAR POWER LINES, THE PILOT PULLED THE RIP CORD TO VENT THE ENVELOPE IN ORDER TO RAPIDLY LOSE THE REMAINING ALTITUDE. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE POWER LINES JUST BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN, IGNITING THE BALLOON. THE PASSENGER AND PILOT WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE BASKET AND RUN TO SAFETY. THE ENVELOPE AND BASKET WERE DESTROYED IN THE 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.
Other reports on N7524J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.