# Incident 19990811027559I: Balwks FIREFLY9, Hartsel, CO, August 11, 1999

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 1999, 08:30 local time
- Place: Hartsel, CO
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0198° N, 105.8009° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0198&lon=-105.8009&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2570E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2570E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 (registry code 1050120, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-9) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY9
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99IA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99IA154) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990811027559I

## Narrative

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

(-23) AS BALLOON APPROACHED IT TOUCHDOWN POINT, PILOT PULLED THE RIPCORD TO ALLOW HOT GASES TO ESCAPE THE ENVELOPE. THE RIPCORD BROKE AND THE BASKET TOUCHED DOWN, TIPPED OVER AND SPILLED ITS OCCUPANTS ON THE GROUND.  ENVELOPE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE DURING ATTEMPTED DEFLATION.  THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO NTSB BY THE REPAIR STATION BECAUSE THE RIPCORD IS CONSIDERED TO BE A BALLOON FLIGHT CONTROL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^                            THE RIPCORD WAS FORWARDED TO NTSB FOR FURTHER TESTING.

## 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 DEN99IA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99IA154), Aug 11, 1999: Balloon Works Firefly 9 (N2570E), Hartsel, CO, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: Total failure of the deflation line due to heat damage (as evidenced by glazing), most likely caused by the improper use of the flight controls (burner system) by person(s) unknown.

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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