# Accident 20010623033529A: Balwks FIREFLY8B15, Mc Kinney, TX, June 23, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 23, 2001, 20:10 local time
- Place: Mc Kinney, TX
- Airport: Mc Kinney Municipal Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1802° N, 96.5891° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1802&lon=-96.5891&mi=10
- Aircraft: N72524, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N72524) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15 (registry code 1050111, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8b-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY8B15
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA154) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010623033529A

## Narrative

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

(-23) MR. GEORGE, A LTA COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS IMPARTING INSTRUCTION TO A STUDENT PILOT. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH LANDINGS. ALL LANDINGS MADE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WERE NORMAL. MR. GEORGE, ACTING AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND, ESTABLISHED A NORMAL SINK RATE AND WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION AS TO THE PROPER ANGLE FOR THE APPROACH AND LANDING. HE HAD POSITIONED HIMSELF IN FRONT AND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STUDENT PILOT. HE COULD NOT FULLY OBSERVE THE STUDENT'S ACTIONS OR LANDING POSTURE. DURING A NORMAL LANDING MR. GEORGE ALLOWED THE BALLOON'S BASKET TO DESCEND TO WITHIN INCHES OF THE GROUND, AS THE BASKET BEGAN TO DRAG THE GROUND IT TILTED FORWARD. AT THIS POINT HE STATED HE FELT THE STUDENT PILOT'S BODY WEIGHT AGAINST HIM AS IF SHE WERE FALLING FORWARD DUE TO THE DRAGGING BASKET. HE APPLIED HEAT TO THE ENVELOPE INITIATING A SLIGHT CLIMB. BY THIS TIME MR. GEORGE NOTICED THE STUDENT PILOT IN THE FLOOR OF THE BASKET. HE BRIEFLY EXAMINED HER LEG AND DETERMINED SHE WAS INJURED. AT THIS POINT MR. GEORGE INITIATED A VERY SHALLOW APPROACH AND LANDING. THE BALLOON WAS DEFLATED AND MS. MARX WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED SHE HAD A BROKEN ANKLE.

## 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 FTW01LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA154), Jun 23, 2001: Balloon Works Firefly 8B-15 (N72524), Celina, TX, no damage. Probable cause: the unsuitable landing area selected by the pilot-in-command which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the uneven/rough terrain.

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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