# Accident 20030225002879A: Balwks FIREFLY11B, Yountville, CA, February 25, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 25, 2003, 07:45 local time
- Place: Yountville, CA
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.4167° N, 122.3500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4167&lon=-122.3500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1501H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1501H-2014-01-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 11B (registry code 1050115, https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-firefly-11b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALWKS FIREFLY11B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA097) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030225002879A

## Narrative

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

(-23) DURING GROUND HANDLING IN PREPARATION FOR "TETHERED" OPERATIONS THE BALLOON BECAME AIRBORNE WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL STILL HOLDING ON. THE BALLOON ASCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 200' & 500' AGL WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL LET GO AND FELL TO 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 LAX03LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA097), Feb 25, 2003: Firefly 11B (N1501H), Yountville, CA, no damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A bystander was impaired by drugs and did not follow the pilot's directive to release the balloon as it began its ascent.

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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