# Accident 19900807031109A: Balwks FIREFLY7, Napa, CA, August 7, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 7, 1990, 07:45 local time
- Place: Napa, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5500° N, 122.1494° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5500&lon=-122.1494&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9090M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9090M-1995-10-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 (registry code 1050120, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-9) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY7
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 548 total, 97 in this make and model, 119 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA280) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900807031109A

## Narrative

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

ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WIND GUSTS AND DOWNDRAFTS. HIT OBJECTS AND GROUND ON FORCED LANDING. THUNDERSTORM 30 MILE NORTH.

## 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 LAX90LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA280), Aug 7, 1990: Balloon Works Firefly 9 (N9090M), Napa, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: THE FLIGHT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A PROBABLE MICROBURST WEATHER PHENOMENA WITH DOWN DRAFTS AND WINDS BEYOND THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY OF THE BALLOON.

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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