# Accident 19890611014999A: Balwks FIREFLY8B, Garner, NC, June 11, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 1989, 07:17 local time
- Place: Garner, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6895° N, 78.6146° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Garner, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6895&lon=-78.6146&mi=10
- Aircraft: N37141, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N37141-2014-12-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B (registry code 1050110, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY8B
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 551 total, 292 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL89FA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89FA158) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890611014999A

## Narrative

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

BALLOON STRUCK A TELEVISION GUY WIRE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. BALLOON STREAMERED AND CRASHED. FABRIC POROSITY SUSPECT.

## 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 ATL89FA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89FA158), Jun 11, 1989: Balloon Works Firefly 8B (N37141), Garner, NC, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A CLIMB AS THE BALLOON CONVERGED ON THE TV TOWER.

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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