- Date
- March 28, 2018, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cave Creek, AZ
- Injuries
- 13 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N64EXUltramagic N 300
- Defining event
- Taxi: Fire/smoke (non-impact)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180328014659A
- Case key
- 96945
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The balloon pilot’s decision to add heat to the envelope with a tree branch protruding into the envelope that caught fire.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during landing, the balloon came to rest pressing against a small tree. He added that when he applied heat to the envelope to reposition the balloon for deflation, a small hole appeared in the fabric and a small tree branch protruded into the envelope. Upon adding the heat, the tree branch inside the envelope caught fire causing the envelope fabric to catch fire. The passengers exited the basket, two fire extinguishers were deployed in an attempt to extinguish the fire, but the basket and envelope were consumed by the fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing, the balloon came to rest pressing against a small tree. He added that when he applied heat to the envelope to reposition the balloon for deflation, a small hole appeared in the fabric and a small tree branch protruded into the envelope. Upon adding the heat, the tree branch inside the envelope caught fire causing the envelope fabric to catch fire. The passengers exited the basket, two fire extinguishers were deployed in an attempt to extinguish the fire, but the basket and envelope were consumed by the fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64EX
- Reported as
- Ultramagic N 300 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- 300/59
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 327.9
- Engine
- none
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Balloon
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 25, 2017
- Departed
- Phoenix, AZ
- Destination
- Cave Creek, AZ
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 2, 2017
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 287 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KDVT, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 912 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.