# Accident 20000811040709A: Balwks FIREFLY11, Phoenix, AZ, August 11, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 11, 2000, 06:25 local time - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.6796° N, 112.0897° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6796&lon=-112.0897&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7244X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7244X-2015-05-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 11 (registry code 1050125, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY11 - People aboard: 8 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,415 total, 375 in this make and model, 85 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA292) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000811040709A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4) ON AUGUST 11, 2000, AT 0625 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY II, N7244X, ENCOUNTERED UNUSUAL WIND CONDITIONS AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER THE ENVELOPE PARTIALLY COLLAPSED ABOUT 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE DEER VALLEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PHOENIX, ARIZONA. THE BALLOON, OPERATED BY HOT AIR EXPEDITIONS UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL BALLOON PILOT AND 7 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED; 1 PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES; AND 2 PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FOR-HIRE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED FROM A REMOTE LAUNCH SITE AT 0617 AND WAS SCHEDULED FOR A 1-HOUR FLIGHT WITH A TERMINATION AT THE LAUNCH SITE. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT THAT A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING CONTAINED NO FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED FLIGHT AREA. THE LAUNCH SITE IS IN A FLOOD CONTROL BASIN NEAR A DAM AND SURROUNDED BY HILLS. FOLLOWING LAUNCH, THE PILOT CONTOURED A HILL, AND AS THE BALLOON NEARED THE TOP, IT ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR THE PILOT DESCRIBED AS A DIRECTION CHANGE OF 70 DEGREES WITH A SPEED OF 10 TO 12 KNOTS. THE PILOT SAID THAT ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE HILL, HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY AN UPDRAFT. THE PILOT SAID HE BELIEVED HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND ROTOR. THE RAPID CHANGES IN AIR MASS MOVEMENT DISTORTED THE BALLOON ENVELOPE AND RESULTED IN SPILLING SOME OF THE HEATED AIR. THE BALLOON THEN ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST WITH THREE BURNERS GOING AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE METAR FOR THE DEER VALLEY AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTING WINDS FROM 100 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT USING PIBALS OR OTHER WIND QUANTIFICATION DEVICES PRIOR TO LAUNCH. (-23) PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING OUT THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE TOP OF A SMALL HILL AND ON THE LEE SIDE A DOWNDRAFT CAUSED THE BALLOON TO DESCEND RAPIDLY AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. ## 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 LAX00LA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA292), Aug 11, 2000: Balloon Works Firefly II (N7244X), Phoenix, AZ, no damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to use pibals or other on site wind determination devices, and his subsequent failure to detect adverse wind conditions prior to launch of the balloon. ## Other reports on N7244X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20040213009539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040213009539A), Feb 13, 2004: Balwks FIREFLY11 (N7244X), Cave Creek, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot had just landed the balloon and was preparing to deflate the balloon. While the pilot was attempting to deflate the balloon the vent line broke.… 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.