# Accident 19830716035669A: Balwks FIREFLY7, Utica, MI, July 16, 1983

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 16, 1983, 20:30 local time
- Place: Utica, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.6287° N, 83.0233° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Utica, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6287&lon=-83.0233&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1515K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1515K-2013-01-31) (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
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI83LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI83LA318) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830716035669A

## Narrative

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

BALLOON DRIFTED INTO WIRES AFTER TOUCHDOWN. STUDENT PILOT JUMPED FROM GONDOLA. BALLOON BURNED.

## 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 CHI83LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI83LA318), Jul 17, 1983: Barnes AX-7 (N1515K), Utica, MI, destroyed

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
