Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 N3610R

Summary

On 27 May 1984 at about 13:40 local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 registered N3610R was involved in an accident near Amarillo, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 May 1984 at 13:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Amarillo, Texas, United States

Coordinates

35.1709, -101.9303

Aircraft

Balloon Works FIREFLY 7

Registration

N3610R

Category

Balloon

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Amarillo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW84LA254

1 person was seriously 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

DURING A PRE-FLT BREIFING, THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 280 DEG AT 6 TO 12 KTS. AT LAUNCH TIME, THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT 7 KTS. HE TOOK OFF AT 0720 CDT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY & CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. APRX 1 HR AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PLT TRIED TO LAND, BUT REPORTED AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE & WIND SHEAR INDICATING THE WIND HAD INCREASED. HE DECIDED TO FLY TO WHERE THE TERRAIN WAS 'BROKEN' & HE COULD 'EXPECT A BETTER WINDBREAK.' AT ABOUT 10 FT AGL, HE 'RIPPED OUT.' THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE GROUND & DRAGGED APRX 100 YDS, CAME TO A BRIEF STOP, & BLEW ANOTHER 10 TO 15 FT. AT THAT POINT, ONE PASSENGER FELL OUT OF THE BASKET. THE BASKET WAS BLOWN OVER HER & BROKE HER ARM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE HAD PROPERLY BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS ON THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES FOR THE PREVAILING WIND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.