# Accident 20240113000209A: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15, Albany, TX, January 13, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 13, 2024, 09:00 local time
- Place: Albany, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.7829° N, 99.3660° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7829&lon=-99.3660&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2582U, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2582U) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 (registry code 1050118, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY 7-15
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 38 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240113000209A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS BUILDING FLYING TIME TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE.

PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE BALLOON.

PREFLIGHT:

NIGHT BEFORE DID SOME PLANNING BASED ON THE FORECAST WINDS

MORNING WX BRIEF OBTAINED FROM 1800WXBRIEF

WINDS FORECAST TO BE 10-15 KNOTS AT END OF FLIGHT

O	FORECAST WINDS TYPICALLY FAST FOR A “WEIGHT ON LANDING”

O	PILOT WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THE FORECAST

PIC SELECTED A LANDING SITE THAT LOOKED “KINDA TIGHT” BUT FELT IT WAS SUITABLE.

LAUNCH AND FLIGHT

PIC FELT A LIGHT  “PUFF” OF WIND OFTEN PRESENT AT SUNUP.

LAUNCH AND FLIGHT TO THE NORTH WAS UNEVENTFUL.

AFTER LAUNCH, THE SUPPORT CREW PROCEEDED TO THE PLANNED LANDING SITE, DETERMINED THE SITE WAS UNSUITABLE AND INFORMED THE PIC.

THE PIC SELECTED AN ALTERNATE AREA NORTH AND WEST OF THE TOWN OF ALBANY, TEXAS, BETWEEN THE BUILT-UP AREA OF TOWN AND AN AREA OF WIND TURBINES.  HE FELT A BENEFIT OF THE TOPOGRAPHY IN THE AREA MAY KEEP THE WIND SPEED DOWN. THE PIC PLANNED HIS DESCENT TO CLEAR OF POWER LINES NEAR THE TOWN.  HE ALSO NOTED THE WINDS WERE CHANGING AND PICKING UP SPEED.

THE CLEARING HE CHOSE SEEMED SUITABLE BUT CONTAINED A SMALL STAND OF TREES AND A DEER BLIND ON THE SOUTH SIDE. HE PLANNED A STEP-DOWN APPROACH FOR LANDING AND BEGAN HIS DESCENT. AS THE BALLOON NEARED THE SURFACE, THE PIC NOTICED WHAT HE FELT WAS WIND SHEAR AND ESTIMATED THE WIND SPEED WAS 20 TO 25 KNOTS.  THE PILOT ALSO NOTED THAT THE VARIOMETER WAS “ACTING FUNNY.”

THE APPROACH TO LANDING TOOK THE BALLOON OVER A SMALL HILL.  CROSSING THE CREST HE SENSED BEING “SUCKED DOWN.”  HE STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO “BURN OUT OF IT,” TO CLIMB OR AT LEAST ARREST THE DESCENT.  THE PIC BELIEVES THE OROGRAPHIC EFFECT OF THE BACKSIDE OF THE HILL CAUSED THE CHANGE IN LIFT. THIS WAS WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS COMMITTED TO THE LANDING AND COULD NOT AVOID THE STAND OF TREES.

THE TREES SNAGGED THE BALLOON AND BASKET, PULLING HIM OVER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENVELOPE AND BASKET.  THE PIC USED THE VALVE LINE TO OPEN THE PARACHUTE VALVE AS THE BALLOON HIT THE TREES.  THE BALLOON CAME TO A STOP AND THE PILOT WAS EJECTED FROM THE BASKET.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN24LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA093), Jan 13, 2024: Balloon Works Firefly 7-15 (N2582U), Albany, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the landing approach in a high wind condition.

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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