# Accident 19900929050179A: Balwks FIREFLY9, Vacaville, CA, September 29, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 29, 1990, 09:00 local time
- Place: Vacaville, CA
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.3586° N, 121.9686° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Vacaville, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3586&lon=-121.9686&mi=10
- Aircraft: N90902, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90902-1995-10-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 (registry code 1050120, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-9) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY9
- People aboard: 8
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,225 total, 450 in this make and model, 218 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90LA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA340) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900929050179A

## Narrative

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

SUDDEN WIND INCREASE THEN HIT BY WHIRLWIND AND UNABLE TO STOP DESCENT. STRUCK WIRES AND DRAGGED ON GROUND.

## 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 LAX90LA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA340), Sep 29, 1990: Balloon Works Firefly 9 (N90902), Vacaville, CA, no damage. Probable cause: THE BALLOON'S ENCOUNTER WITH A SUDDEN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED ACCOMPAINED BY A STRONG DOWN DRAFT BEYOND THE COMPENSATION 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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