# NTSB investigations: Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B: In flight encounter with weather

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB FTW98LA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA231.md): Balloon Works Firefly 7-B · Longmont, CO · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 17, 1998 · N1527M · No damage
  > The pilot's failure to properly position his foot for a high wind landing. Factors were high winds and windshear.
- [NTSB ATL90LA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL90LA104.md): Balloon Works 7B · Lexington, KY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 22, 1990 · N1512T · Substantial damage
  > The overload failure of several jumper cords. Factor(s) were inadvertent encounter with unfavorable wind (dust devil). Subsequently, the pilot was unable to control the rate of descent.
- [NTSB MKC86FA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC86FA117.md): Balloon Works Firefly 7-B · Lee'S Summit, MO · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · May 25, 1986 · N15369 · Substantial damage
  > The PIC stated that prior to liftoff, the Balloon was gyrating and instructed the gnd crew member to steady the Balloon by holding the rope. Just as the Balloon became steady the PIC initiated his takeoff. The PIC was aware of turbulence in the takeoff site…
- [NTSB FTW82DQG17](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW82DQG17.md): Balloon Works 7-B · Masterson, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Final report · Apr 3, 1982 · N1524U · Minor damage
  > After making weather observations and obtaining a weather briefing, the instructor pilot (ip) briefed the chase crew of the expected northerly track. The ip and student took off at 0705 CST and ascended to 1200 to 15000 ft AGL and began tracking…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('10501A9')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 240))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb?model=10501A9&occurrence=240

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.