# Incident 20011011033199I: Balwks FIREFLY715, Albuquerque, NM, October 11, 2001

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 11, 2001, 10:45 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0845° N, 106.6511° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Albuquerque, NM, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0845&lon=-106.6511&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2580A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2580A) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 190 total, 180 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011011033199I

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 10/11/01 AT 10:45 MDT, N2580A, A BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY AX7-15 BALLOON, FLOWN BY PRIVATE PILOT KENNETH AUGUST FERGUSON, CONTACTED AN ABANDONED POWERLINE AFTER LANDING IN TIJERAS CANYON EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM AT THE END OF A PART 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. AN INFORMAL WEATHER BRIEFING HAD BEEN OBTAINED AT THE KODAK ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA (KAIBF) LAUNCH SITE AT 6:15 MDT. THE BALLOON HAD FLOWN EAST FROM THE KAIBF PARK THEN DRIFTED SOUTH ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS. THE PILOT DID NOT FIND A SUITABLE LANDING SITE BEFORE THE BALLOON DRIFTED INTO THE MOUTH OF TIJERAS CANYON WHERE THE WINDS PICKED UP. AFTER ABORTING ONE LANDING DUE TO POWERLINES, HE ATTEMPTED TO DEFLATE THE ENVELOPE AT A SECOND LOCATION. AS THE ENVELOPE DEFLATED IT DRAPED OVER A SECOND SET OF POWER POLES AND FLAPPED IN THE GUSTING WIND FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. ADDED DAMAGE WAS INCURRED WHEN POWER COMPANY EMPLOYEES PULLED THE FABRIC OFF THE POLES AND INSULATORS. NEITHER THE PILOT OR HIS PASSENGER WERE INJURED IN THE INCIDENT. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED THAT SAME DAY AT KAIBF FIELD AT 08:50 MDT.

## Other reports on N2580A (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20051008025049I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051008025049I), Oct 8, 2005: Balwks FIREFLY715 (N2580A), Albuquerque, NM, Minor damage. (-23) Landed in field, bounced over an irrigation ditch (momentarily airborne) basket landed and wind blew envelope over power lines. Occupants remained in…

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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