# Accident 20131112022439A: Firefly Balloons Inc FIREFLY 10, Temecula, CA, November 12, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 12, 2013, 07:42 local time
- Place: Temecula, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4936° N, 117.1484° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Temecula, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4936&lon=-117.1484&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1623L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1623L-2018-10-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 10 (registry code 1050160, https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-firefly-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FIREFLY BALLOONS INC FIREFLY 10
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 5
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 11,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131112022439A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

BALLOON WAS BEING DEFLATED AFTER LANDING ON THE TRANSPORTATION TRAILER WHEN A FLASH FIRE OCCURRED.  THE PILOT INDICATED HE BUMPED THE BURNER CONTROL BUT DID NOT HAVE A PILOT LIGHT OPERATING.  THE RELEASE OF GAS CAUSED A FLASH FIRE THAT INJURED 5 PEOPLE INCLUDING THE PILOT.  THIS IS AN OPEN INVESTAGATION. REVIEW OF THE POH INDICATED THAT RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED BY THE PILOT IN COMMANDER.  PILOT REMOVED A BURNER FROM THE MOUNT WHILE PASSENGERS WERE STILL IN THE BASKET.  A FLASH FIRE OCCURRED WHICH CAUSED INJURIES TO PASSENGERS AND PILOT.  THE BURNERS WERE REMOVED AND SENT TO A FACILITY FOR TESTING.  THE BURNERS WERE TESTED AT THE FACILITY FOR LEAKS AND PROPER OPERATION.  THE BURNERS FUNCTION NORMALLY WITHOUT ANY ANOMALIES.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N1623L (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20120414005179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120414005179I), Apr 14, 2012: Firefly Balloons Inc FIREFLY 10 (N1623L), Temecula, CA, Minor damage. Down draft caused balloon to hit trees and power line. Minor damage to balloon env. And shrouds.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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