# Accident 19990206001219A: Balwks FIREFLY8, Beech Island, SC, February 6, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 6, 1999, 17:00 local time - Place: Beech Island, SC - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.5106° N, 81.9491° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5106&lon=-81.9491&mi=10 - Aircraft: N32877, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N32877-2001-07-09) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 (registry code 1050109, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY8 - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,081 total, 861 in this make and model, 42 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA047) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990206001219A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. FIREFLY AX-8 HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED IN A HAY FIELD, THE BASKET TIPPED OVER AND THE PILOT LIGHT SET THE HAY FIELD ON FIRE WHICH SPREAD TO THE BALLOON ENVELOPE. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4)ON FEBRUARY 6, 1999, AT 1700 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, N32877, AN AX-8 HOT-AIR BALLON MANUFACTURED BY THE BALLOON WORKS, BURST INTO FLAMES AND BURNED AFTER LANDING NEAR BEECH ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE BALLOON WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR THE TWO PASSENGERS AND THE BALLOON WAS DESTROYED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA ABOUT 1600 EST. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER LANDING, HE TURNED OFF THE PILOT LIGHT VALVES ON THE TANKS BUT NOT ON THE BURNERS. THE PILOT THEN STARTED DEFLATING THE BALLOON AND LAID THE BASKET OVER ON ITS SIDE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE EXITING THE BASKET, HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE BURNER BUT BUMPED THE MAIN BURNER VALVE. THE FLAMES FROM THE BURNER IGNITED THE BALLOON ENVELOPE, AND STARTED A GROUND FIRE. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. THE BALLOON WORKS FIREFL Y SERIES FLIGHT MANUAL STATES THAT, "JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN: (1)MAKE SURE THAT THE TRIGGER VALVE (AND/OR FIRE 2 VALVE IF IN USE) IS FIRMLY CLOSED, (2) CLOSE THE PILOT LIGHT SAFETY SHUT OFF. ACTION (2) IS A PRECAUTION AGAINST POSSIBILITY THAT THE PILOT LIGHTS OR ACCIDENTAL BURNING MIGHT DAMAGE THE ENVELOPE OR IGNITE ANYTHING AT THE LANDING SITE." (SEE ATTACHED BALLOON FLIGHT MANUAL). (-23)ON FEBRUARY 6, 1999, AT ABOUT 1700 EDT, A BALLOON WORKS AX8, N32877, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER LANDING IN A FIELD AT BEECH ISLAND, SC. THE COMMERICAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN AUGUSTA, GA, AT ABOUT 1400 EDT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL LANDING IN 6 KNOT SURFACE WIND CONDITIONS. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT TUNRED THE BURNER PILOT LIGHT OFF AT THE TANK VALVE (BUT DID NOT SHUT OFF THE LIGHT AT THE BURNER). DURING DEFLATION, THE BALLOON BASKET LAID OVER. WHILE EXITING THE BASKET, THE PILOT BUMPED THE MAIN BLAST VALVE, SENDING FLAMES OUT THE MAIN BURNER AND SETTING THE FIELD AFIRE. THE WIND B LEW THE FLAMES UNDER THE ENVELOPE IGNITING IT. THE PILOT AND HIS GROUND CREW ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A HAND-HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT COULD NOT. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED, AND A SMALL HAY FIELD WAS DMAAGED BY THE GROUND FIRE. ## 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 ATL99LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA047), Feb 6, 1999: Balloon Works AX-8 (N32877), Beech Island, SC, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow the balloon checklist that resulted in a ground fire that destroyed the balloon envelope. 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.