Terre Haute International Airp Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Terre Haute, Indiana 47803
Sunday, February 8, 2009 17:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The balloon pilot and passenger departed on a personal flight and flew for 30-40 minutes, during which the pilot performed a simulated "pilot light failure" emergency procedure. The pilot performed the simulation so as to "teach" the passenger the procedure. The pilot light was reportedly not extinguished during or after the simulation. Following the simulation, the pilot began a stair-step climb for the approach to a landing area during which the pilot light extinguished at the last stop of the climb. The pilot said he had three sources of ignition aboard: a flint spark provided by the balloon manufacturer, a grill lighter, and a wind proof grill lighter. He could not relight the pilot light after three attempts, and also attempted to light fuel from the whisper and blast valves. The pilot stated that fuel emanated from these valves during the relight attempts. There was about 25 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of the accident. The pilot then pulled the "red line or deflation line" to deflate the balloon. The balloon descended into 180-foot-high power lines and caught fire, which consumed the basket and envelope. The pilot was uninjured and the passenger received minor injuries. The pilot accumulated a total flight time of 30 hours in lighter-than-air aircraft, of which 15 hours were in the accident make and model. He last performed a "pilot light failure" emergency procedure about 5 months prior to the accident flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of the burner pilot light during approach to the landing area and the pilot's failure to relight the burner using alternate sources.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/8/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Terre Haute
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47803
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 392705n
Event Location Longitude 0871827w
Event Location Airport Terre Haute International Airp
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HUF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 160
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25331
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 16 2009 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dinc
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7524J
NTSB Number CEN09CA162
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cameron Balloons
Aircraft Model V-77
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5837
Certified Max Gross Weight 1540
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 --
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 6 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 314
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pending
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sellerburg
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Sellersburg
Operator State IN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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 HUF
Departure City Terre Haute
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Terre Haute
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 16 2009 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dinc
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 --