# Accident 19810502022439A: Balwks FIREFLY7B, Normal, IL, May 2, 1981

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 1981, 17:45 local time
- Place: Normal, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.5201° N, 88.9922° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Normal, IL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5201&lon=-88.9922&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15443, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15443-1999-10-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B (registry code 10501A9, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY7B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 272 total, 58 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI81DEV17](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI81DEV17) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810502022439A

## Narrative

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

BALLOON MADE RAPID DESCENT AND HARD LANDING, THEN DRIFTED INTO POWERLINES. POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR OR DOWNDRAFT.

## 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 CHI81DEV17](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI81DEV17), May 2, 1981: Balloon WKS 7B (N15443), Normal, IL, 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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