Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 N4056L

Summary

On 29 October 1985 at about 12:55 local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 registered N4056L, operated by Mary Bobik, was involved in an accident near Comstock Park, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

29 October 1985 at 12:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Comstock Park, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

43.0396, -85.6708

Aircraft

Balloon Works FIREFLY 7

Registration

N4056L

Category

Balloon

Operator

Mary Bobik

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI86LA018

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT SHE RECEIVED WIND INFORMATION FROM A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, THE NOAA AND ATIS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 HOURS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. ALL THESE SOURCES PREDICTED WINDS TO BE LESS THAN 7 KNOTS. WINDS WERE 'VERY LIGHT' DURING BALLOON INFLATION. THE LAUNCH WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE BALLOON ROSE ABOVE THE TREES WHERE THE VELOCITY OVER THE GROUND INCREASED TO AN EVENTUAL 17 KNOTS. THE CHECK PILOT THEN INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO SKIM THE TOPS OF CORN IN A CORNFIELD TO SIMULATE A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE FIELD SHE SELECTED WAS ON THE FAR SIDE OF A SET OF POWER LINES AND A WOODED AREA. AS SHE CLEARED THE POWER LINES THE WIND SHIFTED TO A HEADWIND AND THE BALLOON DESCENDED INTO THE TREES IN SPITE OF A PROPANE BURN TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WAS DAMAGED BY THE TREES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.