20070117001539A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Balwks FIREFLY 9B-15 · Phoenix, AZ · January 17, 2007

Date: January 17, 2007 · 09:14 local
Place: Phoenix, AZ
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N9087Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX07CA071
Reported as: Balwks FIREFLY9B15
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 183 total17 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days

N9087ZRegistration cancelled Jun 26, 2014 · Balloon Works FIREFLY 9B-15S/N F9B-011 · Built 1995 Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 9B-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) Pilot was attempting to land and stated he encountered a downdraft during approach and subsequently made a hard landing. When the balloon collided with the terrain one passenger was ejected and sustained serious injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AND STATED HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT DURING APPROACH AND SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A HARD LANDING. WHEN THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ONE PASSENGER WAS EJECTED AND SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.

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 LAX07CA071Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportPeoria, AZThe balloon’s inadvertent encounter with a downdraft, which resulted in a hard landing.Jan 17, 2007 · No damage