Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Battle Creek, Michigan 49016
Tuesady, July 16, 1985 19:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ENVELOPE OF BALLOON N1533S WAS PENETRATED AND TORN BY THE BASKET OF BALLOON I-FROG. THE ENVELOPE WAS DAMAGED TO THE DEGREE THAT ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED. THE AERONQUT OF N1533S WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED UPON GROUND IMPACT. I-FROG WAS LANDED WITHOUT DAMAGE OR INJURY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BATTLE CREEK
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49016
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6030
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29106
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N1533S IFROG
NTSB Number CHI85LA291A CHI85LA291B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BALLOON WORKS CAMERON
Aircraft Model FIREFLY 6B V-77
Aircraft Series Identifier FIREFLY 6B V-77
Aircraft Serial Number 10216 848
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Balloon Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- --
Number of Engines 0 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 6 1984 12:00AM May 17 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24 25
Airframe Hours 180 120
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name ALAN BLOUNT SPORT PROMOTION SRL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 N. OLD CREEK ROAD VIA MATTEOTTI 27-72073
Aircraft Owner City PALOS PARK CEVA
Aircraft Owner State IL OF
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60464
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900 1900
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Descent
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --