Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24 N90299
23 August 1994 · Sedona, Arizona, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 23 August 1994 at about 14:00 local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24 registered N90299, operated by Red Rock Balloon Adventures, was involved in an accident near Sedona, Arizona, United States. 5 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sedona, Arizona, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24
- Registration
- N90299
- Category
- Balloon
- Operator
- Red Rock Balloon Adventures
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94LA337
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Probable cause
a tip over of the balloon and basket during a high wind landing due to the pilot's inability to compensate for the increased wind speed conditions during the final stages of the flight and landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
PRIOR TO TAKE OFF, THE PILOT LAUNCHED A PIBAL WHICH INDICATED THAT THE SURFACE WIND WAS NEARLY CALM, AND THE WINDS ALOFT WERE ABOUT 5 MPH. BETWEEN 5 AND 7 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE PLANNED TIME OF LANDING, THE WIND SPEED INCREASED TO ABOUT 8 MPH. AT THE TIME, THE BALLOON WAS OVERFLYING UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. AFTER A FEW ADDITIONAL MINUTES OF FLYING, THE PILOT LOCATED A CLEAR AREA. THE PILOT BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS TO PREPARE FOR A NON-STANDUP HIGH WIND LANDING. ALTHOUGH AT TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT VENTED AIR FROM THE BALLOON, IT TIPPED OVER AND DRAGGED ALONG THE TERRAIN BETWEEN 75 AND 100 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Balloon Works FIREFLY accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1994 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B | Burlington, North Carolina, United States | Carter, William A. | No injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1994 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Nashua, New Hampshire, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 1994 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 | Acton, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Jul 1995 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Littleton, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Jun 1993 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Salida, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1995 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Colorado Spgs, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1994 | Cessna 210L | Payson, Arizona, United States | Dairy Queen of S. Arizona, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 1994 | James B Edwards COZY | Skull Valley, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Sep 1994 | Robinson R-22 | Benson, Arizona, United States | Same AS Registered Owner | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jul 1994 | Bell 206-B3 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | U.s. Forest Service | Unknown | - |
| 4 Jan 1994 | Bell 206B | Coolidge Dam, Arizona, United States | Southwest Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Nov 1994 | Cessna 172K | Springerville, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |