# NTSB CHI07CA189: Cameron Balloons Z-77, N4021M, Battle Creek, MI, July 3, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 2, 2007, 20:45 local (Jul 3, 2007, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Battle Creek, MI - Coordinates: 42.306388, -85.221107 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3064&lon=-85.2211&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 30, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - GRR FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 66417 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI07CA189 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66417/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07CA189 ## Probable cause The 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. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, landing - balloon equipment,burner system - other (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - balloon equipment,envelope - other (contributing factor) ## Analysis The balloon caught fire after landing during the Battle Creek Field of Flight Hot Air Balloon Festival. The pilot stated that after approximately one hour in the air, the balloon landed safely in a yard. When the pilot looked up inside the top of the balloon envelope, the "parachute top did not reseat." He attempted to reseat the top by using a "blast of heat" from the burners but it did not work. The pilot "knew the balloon would quickly sink down on top of the basket" so he turned the burners to their horizontal position and prepared to push the envelope fabric away. When the balloon envelope began to descend towards the ground the pilot reported that "we suddenly had a fire in the basket." Both the pilot and passenger were able to exit the basket. The pilot "determined the fire was coming from the burners" so he returned to the basket and turned off the fuel tanks. The fire was subsequently extinguished by the passenger and bystanders. An examination of the balloon after the accident revealed the fuel valve for the whisper burners was in the "on" position. ## Factual narrative The balloon was substantially damaged after it landed and caught fire during the Battle Creek Field of Flight Hot Air Balloon Festival. The pilot stated that after approximately one hour in the air, the balloon landed safely in a yard. When the pilot looked up inside the top of the balloon envelope, the "parachute top did not reseat." He attempted to reseat the top by using a "blast of heat" from the burners but it did not work. The pilot "knew the balloon would quickly sink down on top of the basket" so he turned the burners to their horizontal position and prepared to push the envelope fabric away. When the balloon envelope began to descend towards the ground the pilot reported that "we suddenly had a fire in the basket." Both the pilot and passenger were able to exit the basket. The pilot "determined the fire was coming from the burners" so he returned to the basket and turned off the fuel tanks. The fire was subsequently extinguished by the passenger and bystanders. An examination of the balloon after the accident revealed the fuel valve for the whisper burners was in the "on" position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4021M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4021M), registered now, S/N 6454, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cameron Balloons Z-77 - Registry model: [Cameron Balloons US Z-77](https://openairdocs.org/model/cameron-balloons-us-z-77) (registry code 1880302) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: 6454 - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: unknown, MI - Destination: Battle Creek, MI - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; commercial; medical: class 3, unknown; flight hours: 895 total, 31 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: BTL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20070702014899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070702014899A), Jul 2, 2007: Cambal Z77, Battle Creek, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft landed safely in light to no-wind conditions. As the envelope began deflating and collapsing toward burner equipment, pilot began rotating… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.