# Incident 20241224021469I: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15, Windsor, VA, December 24, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 24, 2024, 16:00 local time
- Place: Windsor, VA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.8112° N, 76.7384° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Windsor, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8112&lon=-76.7384&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3290D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3290D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B-15 (registry code 1050111, https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8b-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY 8B-15
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,504 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241224021469I

## Narrative

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

AFTER A 45-MINUTE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE BALLOON PILOT BEGAN PREPARATIONS TO LAND. HE SELECTED AN APPROPRIATE FIELD TO LAND IN. THERE WERE DISTANT POWER LINES AT THE FAR END. DURING THE FINAL DESCENT, AT ABOUT 150 FEET, THE BALLOON ACCELERATED, UP TO 12 MPH ACCORDING TO HIS GAUGE. HE BELIEVED THIS WAS DUE TO THE VENTURI EFFECT AND AN INVERSION LAYER. THE EXTRA SPEED CARRIED HIM MUCH FASTER DOWNRANGE, TOWARDS THE WIRES, AND A HARDER TOUCHDOWN WITH DRAGGING. HIS CHOICE WAS A FULL-POWER BURN TO TRY TO GO OVER THE WIRES, OR TO "RIP" THE ENVELOPE TO RELEASE BUOYANCY, AND DESCEND RAPIDLY. HE CHOSE TO DESCEND. AFTER LANDING, THE DEFLATING ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE POWER LINES, BURNING SOME HOLES IN THEM. THE FOUR PASSENGERS WERE DEPLANED WHEN IT WAS SAFE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

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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