Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 N1534C
3 July 1985 · Owensboro, Kentucky, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 3 July 1985 at about 00:40 local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 registered N1534C was involved in an accident near Owensboro, Kentucky, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 00:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Owensboro, Kentucky, United States
- Nearest airport
- Unknown
- Coordinates
- 37.7492, -87.1101
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7
- Registration
- N1534C
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL85LA204
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
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
PILOT LAUNCHED BALLOON FROM COLLEGE CAMPUS WITH TWO PAX. FLEW FOR 35 MINUTES. DURING FLIGHT HE RADIOED GROUND CREW WHICH WAS AT LANDING SITE. DURING DESCENT PILOT SAW UTILITY WIRES PREVIOUSLY UNNOTICED. PARACHUTE WAS VENTD TO INCREASE DESCENT RATE AND AVOID WIRES. BALLOON LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED INTO WIRES. ELECTRICAL ARCING SEVERED BASKET CABLES DROPPING BASKET 20 FEET TO GROUND.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Balloon Works FIREFLY accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B | Englewood, Colorado, United States | J. Robert Pendleton | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Apr 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7B | Orlando, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Sep 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Littleton, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Mar 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Arlington, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Comstock Park, Michigan, United States | Mary Bobik | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Oct 1985 | Piper PA-28 | Payne Gap, Kentucky, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Oct 1985 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Hopkinsvile, Kentucky, United States | Landmark Realty, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1985 | Champion 7FC | Louisville, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 1985 | Cessna 172E | Campbellsville, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 1985 | Cessna 182L | Falmouth, Kentucky, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Mar 1985 | Cessna 140 | Hawesville, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |