19981212042029I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Balwks FIREFLY 8B · Littleton, CO · December 12, 1998

Date: December 12, 1998 · 08:30 local
Place: Littleton, CO
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N7121C
Reported as: Balwks FIREFLY8B
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 100 total100 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N7121CRegistered now · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8BS/N F8B-143 · Built 1988 Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 8B 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.

(-5)Pilot requested several weather briefings prior to flight. None of these briefings indicated a need for concern for unfavorable winds. Pilot experienced accelerated wind conditions during landing attempt. Pilot aborted landing attempt and reinflated balloon for takeoff and wind took balloon into roof of house during aborted landing. Pilot and passengers were not injured and second landing was successful. House was bumped by balloon basket at gutter area and very minor dent sustained in gutter. Incident was result of unforcast wind gusts in vicinity of intended landing site. Denver FSDO balloon rated inspector, david gonzales, interviewed pilot and advised that no corrective action necessary, pilot followed proper procedures and flight was subjucted to unforcast gusty winds. Pilot statement attached to this report.

As the FAA filed it

(-5)PILOT REQUESTED SEVERAL WEATHER BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO FLIGHT. NONE OF THESE BRIEFINGS INDICATED A NEED FOR CONCERN FOR UNFAVORABLE WINDS. PILOT EXPERIENCED ACCELERATED WIND CONDITIONS DURING LANDING ATTEMPT. PILOT ABORTED LANDING ATTEMPT AND REINFLATED BALLOON FOR TAKEOFF AND WIND TOOK BALLOON INTO ROOF OF HOUSE DURING ABORTED LANDING. PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED AND SECOND LANDING WAS SUCCESSFUL. HOUSE WAS BUMPED BY BALLOON BASKET AT GUTTER AREA AND VERY MINOR DENT SUSTAINED IN GUTTER. INCIDENT WAS RESULT OF UNFORCAST WIND GUSTS IN VICINITY OF INTENDED LANDING SITE. DENVER FSDO BALLOON RATED INSPECTOR, DAVID GONZALES, INTERVIEWED PILOT AND ADVISED THAT NO CORRECTIVE ACTION NECESSARY, PILOT FOLLOWED PROPER PROCEDURES AND FLIGHT WAS SUBJUCTED TO UNFORCAST GUSTY WINDS. PILOT STATEMENT ATTACHED TO THIS REPORT.