Cameron Balloons O-77 accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, July 4, 2003
On July 4, 2003 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Cameron Balloons O-77, registered N8085G, was involved in an accident near Battle Creek, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive descent rate. Factors to the accident were the trees lining the landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2003 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Battle Creek, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron Balloons O-77 · all O-77s on the register
- Registration
- N8085G · registry record · serial 6248
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A passenger aboard a personal balloon flight was seriously injured during a hard landing on a hay field. The pilot described the field as having trees at its west and east ends. The pilot reported that as he cleared the western row of trees the balloon's rate of descent was too steep and it landed hard. Recorded winds, 10 miles southwest of the accident site, were from the southwest at 10 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 250 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 113 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 2003; 10 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: BTL Battle Creek MI at 10:30 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from BTL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.