20080719840439A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Balwks FIREFLY 7-15 · Jamestown, RI · July 19, 2008

Date: July 19, 2008 · 07:57 local
Place: Jamestown, RI
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N2131Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA08CA146
Reported as: Balwks FIREFLY715
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 140 total18 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days

N2131YRegistration cancelled Aug 30, 2012 · Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 7-15S/N F7-2063 · Built 2006 Airframe modelFirefly Balloons FIREFLY 7-15 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) Due to winds aloft pilot had to use alternate, unplanned landing site. Chase crew had a hold of drop rope and was in the process of bringing down balloon when pilot noticed wires at the end of landing area and vented the envelope via the parachute top. This resulted in a hard landing and passenger sustained minor injury to left foot. No damage to balloon basket or envelope.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DUE TO WINDS ALOFT PILOT HAD TO USE ALTERNATE, UNPLANNED LANDING SITE. CHASE CREW HAD A HOLD OF DROP ROPE AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING DOWN BALLOON WHEN PILOT NOTICED WIRES AT THE END OF LANDING AREA AND VENTED THE ENVELOPE VIA THE PARACHUTE TOP. THIS RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY TO LEFT FOOT. NO DAMAGE TO BALLOON BASKET OR ENVELOPE.

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 MIA08CA146Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportJamestown, RIThe pilot's excessive descent maneuver.Jul 19, 2008 · No damage