# Accident 19800920044439A: Balwks FIREFLY7, Tyler, TX, September 20, 1980

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 20, 1980, 18:45 local time
- Place: Tyler, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3513° N, 95.3011° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tyler, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3513&lon=-95.3011&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4062L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4062L-2012-11-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 (registry code 1050100, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY7
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 80 total, 63 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW80DRJ43](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW80DRJ43) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800920044439A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

BALLOON PANELS FAILED IN FLIGHT. BALLOON COLLAPSED, PLUMMETED TO GROUND. WITNESSREPORTED WEATHER CLOUDY, STORMY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW80DRJ43](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW80DRJ43), Sep 20, 1980: BLN Works FF-7 (N4062L), Tyler, TX, substantial damage

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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