Date:	Saturday 21 January 2012
Time:	evening
Type:	Zing Aerosports ZA-PIG-90
Owner/operator:	MR DD LLC
Registration:	N988SP
MSN:	ZA-SP-01
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Near Carefree Resort and Conference Center, Carefree, AZ -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Carefree Resort and Conference Center
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The Zing Aerosports ZA-PIG-90 "Spider Pig" special shape balloon caught fire when it broke loose from its ropes and unexpectedly took off when the pilot was preparing the balloon for an evening flight at the Carefree Resort and Conference Center during the Carefree-Cave Creek Hot Air Balloon Festival 2012 in Carefree, AZ.
The pilot elected to fly away rather than to hurt anybody in the crowd and flew the balloon over the festival crowds about a half-mile away and landed.

The pilot survived with a minor hand injury.

https://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_northeast_valley/carefree/hot-air-balloon-pilot-details-how-he-saved-others-after-balloon-unexpectedly-took-off
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.newshubtoday.net/pilot-averts-disaster-when-hot-air-balloon-catches-fire/27871?]utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pilot-averts-disaster-when-hot-air-balloon-catches-fire
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Hot-air-balloon-catches-fire-at-Carefree-festival-137853568.html]
http://web.archive.org/web/20120125075012/http://www.krqe.com:80/dpp/news/local/central/special-shape-balloon-catches-fire-dr
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.koat.com/balloon-fiesta-extended-coverage/30279145/detail.html]
https://www.abqjournal.com/82762/spider-pig-balloon-catches-fire-in-arizona.html

[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.balloonfiesta.com/uploads/companydirectory/id118/SpiderPigLG.jpg] (photo)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
23-Jan-2012 14:22	Alpine Flight	Added
23-Jan-2012 15:08	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
23-Jan-2012 15:09	RobertMB	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative]