What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Event/location: Lewiston balloon festival, Lewiston Maine. It was reported while during the pre-launch, the pilot was in the process inflating the envelope when a fuel line became disconnected from a fuel cylinder. This resulted in propane leaking/spraying from the cylinder and the propane came in contact with burner pilot light causing a flashback (fireball). All passengers and pilot evacuated the balloon basket. The pilot, three passengers and one ground crew sustained burns. Four people were transported to the hospital. The pilot received the most serious burns (2nd degree) to his arm and face. Pilot was hospitalized for more than 48 hours. A passenger stated that he watched the pilot move the fuel cylinder to make room for one more passenger. The pilot then turned around and moved to reposition the bottle as he bent over towards the tank, the pilot's arm came in contact with the fuel line causing the fuel line to become disconnected, resulting in a propane leak. Further inspection of the fuel cylinder was conducted in conjunction with the Maine state fire marshalls office, revealed that the female portion of the valve "o" ring had come unseated on the quick release valve. Investigation pending. End.
As the FAA filed it
EVENT/LOCATION: LEWISTON BALLOON FESTIVAL, LEWISTON MAINE. IT WAS REPORTED WHILE DURING THE PRE-LAUNCH, THE PILOT WAS IN THE PROCESS INFLATING THE ENVELOPE WHEN A FUEL LINE BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM A FUEL CYLINDER. THIS RESULTED IN PROPANE LEAKING/SPRAYING FROM THE CYLINDER AND THE PROPANE CAME IN CONTACT WITH BURNER PILOT LIGHT CAUSING A FLASHBACK (FIREBALL). ALL PASSENGERS AND PILOT EVACUATED THE BALLOON BASKET. THE PILOT, THREE PASSENGERS AND ONE GROUND CREW SUSTAINED BURNS. FOUR PEOPLE WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE PILOT RECEIVED THE MOST SERIOUS BURNS (2ND DEGREE) TO HIS ARM AND FACE. PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR MORE THAN 48 HOURS. A PASSENGER STATED THAT HE WATCHED THE PILOT MOVE THE FUEL CYLINDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR ONE MORE PASSENGER. THE PILOT THEN TURNED AROUND AND MOVED TO REPOSITION THE BOTTLE AS HE BENT OVER TOWARDS THE TANK, THE PILOT'S ARM CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE FUEL LINE CAUSING THE FUEL LINE TO BECOME DISCONNECTED, RESULTING IN A PROPANE LEAK. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE FUEL CYLINDER WAS CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MAINE STATE FIRE MARSHALLS OFFICE, REVEALED THAT THE FEMALE PORTION OF THE VALVE "O" RING HAD COME UNSEATED ON THE QUICK RELEASE VALVE. INVESTIGATION PENDING. END.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.