20100909044099I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Balloon Wor Firefly 8B- · Reno, NV · September 9, 2010

Date: September 9, 2010 · 08:00 local
Place: Reno, NV
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N3287V
Reported as: Balloon Wor Firefly 8B-
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 525 total425 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N3287VRegistered now · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15S/N F8B-549 · Built 1997 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.

During the great Reno Balloon races in Reno, Nevada, the pilot departed san rafael park on a media flight. After flying for approximately 30 minutes, the pilot began a landing approach. The wind shifted and a missed approach was initiated. The pilot attempted several other landings; however, continued to encounter shifting winds. The pilot stated that he found an oppertunity to land and successfully landed the Balloon. After landing, the Balloon rolled into a dead tree damaging 13 panels.

As the FAA filed it

DURING THE GREAT RENO BALLOON RACES IN RENO, NEVADA, THE PILOT DEPARTED SAN RAFAEL PARK ON A MEDIA FLIGHT. AFTER FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE PILOT BEGAN A LANDING APPROACH. THE WIND SHIFTED AND A MISSED APPROACH WAS INITIATED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL OTHER LANDINGS; HOWEVER, CONTINUED TO ENCOUNTER SHIFTING WINDS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FOUND AN OPPERTUNITY TO LAND AND SUCCESSFULLY LANDED THE BALLOON. AFTER LANDING, THE BALLOON ROLLED INTO A DEAD TREE DAMAGING 13 PANELS.