Cameron 0-77 accident near Wall Lake, Michigan, August 22, 1982
On August 22, 1982 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Cameron 0-77 (balloon), registered N89MW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wall Lake, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1982 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wall Lake, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cameron 0-77
- Registration
- N89MW · registry record · serial 316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING FLIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED UNEXPECTED LIGHT TURBULENCE AND ELECTED TO LAND AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE SPOT. HE STATED THAT DURING A LANDING APPROACH AT ABOUT 50 FT ABOVE THE TREETOPS, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED THAT FORCED HOT AIR OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE BALLOON. REPORTEDLY, THE BALLOON THEN BEGAN A DESCENT THAT THE PILOT COULD NOT STOP BEFORE HITTING TREES. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 210 DEG AT 10 GUSTING 17 KTS.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 72 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ann Arbor MI at 7:00 am
- Destination: Ann Arbor MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.