20080927850689I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Balwks FIREFLY 7 · Prosser, WA · September 27, 2008

Date: September 27, 2008 · 07:30 local
Place: Prosser, WA
Airport: Prosser
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N7125C
Reported as: Balwks FIREFLY7
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,300 total400 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N7125CRegistration cancelled May 4, 2015 · Balloon Works FIREFLY 7S/N F7-443 Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 7 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) While in cruise, tracking south to north, approximatelly 2 NM north of Prosser Airport at an estimated altitude of 400 to 500 feet, the pilot switched propane fuel tanks. The next demand for flame (power) from the new tank provided inadequate flame due to an apparent tank low pressure situation. During this time, the balloon was descending, and the time required to switch to a tank with adequate pressure, (the balloon as carrying 4 propane fuel tanks) the balloon settled, and a corner of the basket hooked a powerline. At the same time as the contact with the powerline, flame was restored and the balloon began to rise. Upon the release of the powerline during the rise of the balloon, the powerline came into contact with another powerline causing an arc, resulting in a blown powerline fuse. No damage or injuries reported.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE IN CRUISE, TRACKING SOUTH TO NORTH, APPROXIMATELLY 2 NM NORTH OF PROSSER AIRPORT AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 400 TO 500 FEET, THE PILOT SWITCHED PROPANE FUEL TANKS. THE NEXT DEMAND FOR FLAME (POWER) FROM THE NEW TANK PROVIDED INADEQUATE FLAME DUE TO AN APPARENT TANK LOW PRESSURE SITUATION. DURING THIS TIME, THE BALLOON WAS DESCENDING, AND THE TIME REQUIRED TO SWITCH TO A TANK WITH ADEQUATE PRESSURE, (THE BALLOON AS CARRYING 4 PROPANE FUEL TANKS) THE BALLOON SETTLED, AND A CORNER OF THE BASKET HOOKED A POWERLINE. AT THE SAME TIME AS THE CONTACT WITH THE POWERLINE, FLAME WAS RESTORED AND THE BALLOON BEGAN TO RISE. UPON THE RELEASE OF THE POWERLINE DURING THE RISE OF THE BALLOON, THE POWERLINE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER POWERLINE CAUSING AN ARC, RESULTING IN A BLOWN POWERLINE FUSE. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES REPORTED.