Cameron Balloons Z-77 N4021M
3 July 2007 · Battle Creek, Michigan, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 3 July 2007 at about 00:45 local time, a Cameron Balloons Z-77 registered N4021M was involved in an accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Battle Creek, Michigan, United States
- Coordinates
- 42.3064, -85.2211
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons Z-77
- Registration
- N4021M
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Battle Creek
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI07CA189
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 2007 | Cessna 172N | New Hudson, Michigan, United States | Oakland Flight Service | No injuries | - |
| 3 Nov 2007 | Cessna 172I | Gladwin, Michigan, United States | Skyvue Flying Club | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Apr 2007 | Bombardier CL-600-2B19 | Lake Michigan, Michigan, United States | Mesa Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 2007 | Cessna C-182 | Cedar Springs, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Dec 2007 | Cessna 172 | Hastings, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Oct 2007 | Veltman Robert CH701 | Owosso, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |