Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Anderson, South Carolina 29626
Sunday, August 31, 2008 9:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was participating in a balloon competition event. He overflew his second target and climbed to 6,800 feet en-route to the third target. The basket started oscillating from right to left and he became disoriented. The pilot could not focus on the gauges and could not determine if he was climbing or descending. He thought he was descending, but the balloon was climbing. In order to arrest his perceived descent, the pilot continued to operate both burners which further increased his rate of ascent. During the climb he noticed that the parachute at the top of the balloon had shifted to the left and was letting out hot air. He tried to re-seal the parachute by adding more heat with the burners, and realized the balloon was in a rapid climb. The air in the balloon was evacuated and the balloon began to streamer, resulting in a rapid descent. The basket collided with a tree and the pilot was ejected from the basket. Examination of the envelope/balloon revealed the balloon was intact. All damage to the balloon was related to heat damage from the improper use of the burners or from impact damage from the tree. No precrash mechanical anomalies were noted during the inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper use of the balloon burners.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Anderson |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29626 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 342940N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0824233W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 856 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AND |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 782 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24506 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 31 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 17 2008 1:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FAA/FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N61ZL |
| NTSB Number | MIA08CA176 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cameron |
| Aircraft Model | ZL-60 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6495 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1200 |
| Aircraft Category | Balloon |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 27 |
| Airframe Hours | 27 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Charles L. Walz |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 10269 Mount Hope Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Munith |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49259 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Charles L. Walz |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 10269 Mount Hope Road |
| Operator City | Munith |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49259 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Anderson |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 800 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Anderson |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 17 2008 1:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |