20150702009051A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B · Provo, UT · July 2, 2015

Date: July 2, 2015 · 07:15 local
Place: Provo, UT
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Midair collision
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7148P
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA15CA157
Reported as: Balloon Works Firefly 8B
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total200 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N7148PRegistration cancelled Feb 1, 2019 · Balloon Works FIREFLY 8BS/N F8BS-01 · Built 1999 Airframe modelBalloon Works FIREFLY 8B 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.

Mid air of two balloons, Balloon envelope sustained a tear and collapsed causing rapid decent and emergency landing. Balloon sustained damage due to pilot requirement to burn longer to minimize decent and landing. Balloon basket landed safely on the ground, canopy came to rest in trees causing further damage to the canopy.

As the FAA filed it

MID AIR OF TWO BALLOONS, BALLOON ENVELOPE SUSTAINED A TEAR AND COLLAPSED CAUSING RAPID DECENT AND EMERGENCY LANDING. BALLOON SUSTAINED DAMAGE DUE TO PILOT REQUIREMENT TO BURN LONGER TO MINIMIZE DECENT AND LANDING. BALLOON BASKET LANDED SAFELY ON THE GROUND, CANOPY CAME TO REST IN TREES CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE CANOPY.

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 GAA15CA157Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportProvo, UT**This report was modified on 4/21/2016. Please see the public docket for this accident for more information.** The failure of the Balony balloon pilot to see and avoid the Balloon Works balloon during an ascent, which resulted in the basket of the Balony…Jul 2, 2015 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage