# Accident 20000409014929A: Balwks FIREFLY715, Anthony, NM, April 9, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2000, 08:15 local time
- Place: Anthony, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.9495° N, 107.0191° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9495&lon=-107.0191&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2571F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2571F-2015-05-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 (registry code 1050118, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY715
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 49 total, 49 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA071) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000409014929A

## Narrative

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

(.4) FOLLOWING LANDING, AND PRIOR TO THE BALLOON BEING SECURED TO THE GROUND, THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE BURNER AND THE PASSENGERS EGRESSED FROM THE BASKET CONTRARY TO THE PILOT'S INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH WERE TO STAY IN THE BASKET UNTIL SHE TOLD THEM TO EXIT. AS A RESULT OF THE DECREASE IN WEIGHT, THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF AND DRIFTED INTO POWER LINES. BECAUSE THE BURNER WAS SHUT DOWN, THE PILOT HAD NO CONTROL IN THE VERTICAL PLANE.

## 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 DEN00LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA071), Apr 9, 2000: Balloon Works Firefly F-15 (N2571F), Anthony, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure by the pilot to keep the burner operating until the balloon was secured. A factor was the passengers disregarding the instructions they had been given by the pilot.

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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