Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B N71233

Summary

On 16 June 1996 at about 13:15 local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B registered N71233, operated by ASH, Jonathan, G., was involved in an accident near Wilsonville, Oregon, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 June 1996 at 13:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Wilsonville, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.2997, -122.7796

Aircraft

Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B

Registration

N71233

Category

Balloon

Operator

ASH, Jonathan, G.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96LA122

2 people were seriously injured.

failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the static wire, which became shorted to a transmission wire and subsequently caused a fire to erupt on the balloon's envelope. Factors relating to the accident were: the obstructions (power line wires), and the pilot's reduced ability to visually detect the static wire, due to the gray sky condition in the background.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Having aborted the first attempt to land, the pilot was maneuvering the balloon for a landing in a second field. He maneuvered to pass over high tension (power line) wires, but did not see the static wire. The balloon subsequently impacted the static wire, which broke and began arcing after contact with the high voltage wires beneath. A fire erupted on the balloon's envelope, but the pilot was able to land without igniting the propane tanks. A high, thin, gray overcast existed at the time, which made visual acquisition of the single static wire difficult.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.