20041009024119A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Balwks FIREFLY 8B-15 · Piedmont, OK · October 9, 2004

Date: October 9, 2004 · 09:20 local
Place: Piedmont, OK
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2563W
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW05CA002
Reported as: Balwks FIREFLY8B15
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 65 total50 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N2563WRegistration cancelled Jan 12, 2018 · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15S/N F8B-449 Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Flight originated at 0900 from a private sw of Piedmont, OK. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, lowering clouds and fog reduced visibility sufficiently that the pilot descended to tree top level to find a landing area. After attempting to land on the south side of a wheat field the balloon skipped twice. The pilot saw power lines ahead of him so he deflated the envelope completely. The envelope draped over the powerlines and caught fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 0900 FROM A PRIVATE SW OF PIEDMONT, OK. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, LOWERING CLOUDS AND FOG REDUCED VISIBILITY SUFFICIENTLY THAT THE PILOT DESCENDED TO TREE TOP LEVEL TO FIND A LANDING AREA. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF A WHEAT FIELD THE BALLOON SKIPPED TWICE. THE PILOT SAW POWER LINES AHEAD OF HIM SO HE DEFLATED THE ENVELOPE COMPLETELY. THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE POWERLINES AND CAUGHT FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DFW05CA002Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPiedmont, OKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with power lines while landing. Contributing factors were the reduced visibility, fog, and low cloud ceiling.Oct 9, 2004 · Destroyed