19960824025849A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Balwks FIREFLY 7 · Rio Rancho, NM · August 24, 1996

Date: August 24, 1996 · 08:45 local
Place: Rio Rancho, NM
Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7414U
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW96LA361
Reported as: Balwks FIREFLY7
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 184 total184 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N7414URegistration cancelled Feb 28, 2017 · Balloon Works FIREFLY 7S/N F7-361 · Built 1987 Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 7 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Flying low tried too late to burn and climb over powerlines, saw error. Pulled vent. Hit wires. Leaky bag. (-23) Mr. Charleton was ground tracking, misjudged powerlines, attempted to go over the powerlines, realized he was not going to make it, pulled the top out of the balloon, hit the powerlines. He and the passenger were not injured.

As the FAA filed it

FLYING LOW TRIED TOO LATE TO BURN AND CLIMB OVER POWERLINES, SAW ERROR. PULLED VENT. HIT WIRES. LEAKY BAG. (-23) MR. CHARLETON WAS GROUND TRACKING, MISJUDGED POWERLINES, ATTEMPTED TO GO OVER THE POWERLINES, REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT, PULLED THE TOP OUT OF THE BALLOON, HIT THE POWERLINES. HE AND THE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW96LA361Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRio Rancho, NMthe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines. The variable wind condition was a related factor.Aug 24, 1996 · Substantial damage