# Accident 19981008037749A: Balwks FIREFLY7, Albuquerque, NM, October 8, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 8, 1998, 10:00 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Airport: Albuquerque International Airport
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0601° N, 106.6210° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0601&lon=-106.6210&mi=10
- Aircraft: N36609, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36609-2005-09-29) (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
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 57 total, 54 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981008037749A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON OCTOBER 8, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1000 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY-7, N36609, WAS NOT DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AT FIESTA PARK, NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, MEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE OF THE TWO PASSENGER ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.  ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING.  ONE OF TWO PASSENGERS BROKE HER LEG.   (.4) ON OCTOBER 8, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1000 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY-7 BALLOON, N36609, WAS NOT DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, A SECOND PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.  THE BALLOON WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM KODAK ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA PARK, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, APPROXIAMTELY 60 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS PREPARING TO LAND IN A SMALL FIELD WITH POWER LINES UPWIND AND DOWNWIND. HE HAD INSTRUCTED THE PASSENGERS, THE PILOT'S MOTHER AND A BALLOON GROUND CREW MEMBER, HOW TO BRACE THEMSELVES FOR A "COLD FAST LANDING."  THE PILOT STATED, UPON LANDING, THAT AS SOON AS THEY CONTACTED THE GROUND, HE HEARD ON OF HIS PASSENGERS "SCREAM IN PAIN."  ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE BALLOON WITH THE TOP PULLED OUT, THE BALLOON SWUNG FORWARD 6-8 FEET WHERE IT TOUCHED DOWN A SECONED TIME.  AFTER DEFLATION OF THE BALLOON, HE AND ONE OF HIS PASSENGERS EXITED THE BALLOON, THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS UNABLE TO EXIT DUE TO TWO BROKEN LEGS.                                                          (-23) WHILE LANDING BALLOON IN FIELD AT ABQ, BASKET HAD HARD LANDING AND PASSENGER ON.

## 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 DEN99LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA006), Oct 8, 1998: Balloon Works FIREFLY-7 (N36609), Alberquerque, NM, no damage. Probable cause: The passenger's failure to follow procedures/directives for a hard landing. A factor was the congested/confined landing area with power lines on both ends.

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.