- Date
- September 28, 2003, 08:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 10 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N7021UBalloon Works Firefly II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030928035319A
- Case key
- 58115
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 pilot's diverted attention that resulted in the inadequate handling of the burner during ground operations.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The balloon sustained fire damage to the envelope while it was on the ground. One of the passengers became ill during the flight. The pilot landed the balloon in a field, and he waited for the ground crew to arrive. While he was waiting, he applied heat to the balloon to keep it standing. Each time that he applied burner, he would look to ensure that it was not contacting the envelope. Just as the ground crew arrived, he glanced at the balloon and began another burn. As he was speaking with the crew, the flame made contact with the envelope. The crew evacuated the passengers from the balloon as portions of the burning fabric fell from it. Several panels were directly burned; melting fabric damaged others. The pilot noted no mechanical problems with the balloon.
Factual narrative
On September 28, 2003, about 0820 mountain standard time, a Balloon Works Firefly II, N7021U, sustained fire damage to the envelope while it was positioned on the ground near Phoenix, Arizona. Get Carried Away Hot Air Balloon Company was operating the balloon under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and nine passengers were not injured; two passengers sustained minor injuries. The balloon sustained substantial damage. The flight departed an area north of Phoenix about 0710 for the local area sightseeing flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that one of the passengers became ill during the flight. After landing the balloon in a field, the pilot waited for the ground crew to arrive. While he was waiting, he applied heat to the balloon to keep it standing. Each time he applied the burner, he would look to ensure that it was not contacting the envelope.
Just as the ground crew arrived, the pilot glanced at the balloon and began another burn. As he was speaking with the crew, the flame made contact with the envelope. The crew evacuated the passengers from the balloon as portions of the burning fabric fell. Several panels were directly burned; others were damaged by the melting fabric. The pilot noted that there were no mechanical problems with the balloon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7021U
- Reported as
- Balloon Works Firefly II
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- F11-006
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Get Carried Away Hot Air Balloon Company, doing business as Get Carried Away Hot Air Balloon Co.
- Registered owner
- Hot Air Expedition
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Phoenix, AZ
- Destination
- Phoenix, AZ
- Airport
- KDVT · Phoenix Deer Valley
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 730 total · 100 in this make and model · 38 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7021U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.