- Date
- April 7, 2004, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Eatonton, GA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N2200DFirefly F8B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO-11
- FAA report
- 20040407030319A
- Case key
- 59060
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The overload failure of the windline quick release tiedown eyebolt.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to a witness during the inflation process of the balloon, a quick release tie down eyebolt that was attached to a windline broke. As the windline released it struck the pilot in the head. The quick release tie down eyebolt was installed on the tailgate of an automobile. The balloon skid across the grass and hit a tree. Examination of the balloon revealed that six wicker panels were broken. Further examination of the quick release tie down eyebolt revealed that the fracture features were typical of a recent bending overstress fracture. According to the balloon manufacture, the quick release tie down eyebolt that failed was an after-market item.
Factual narrative
On April 7, 2004 at 1815 eastern daylight time, a Firefly F8B, N2200D, registered to and operated by a commercial pilot, broke a quick release tie down eyebolt during inflation near Eatonton, Georgia. The intended personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the balloon sustained minor damage. The local flight was intended to depart Lake Oconee near Eatonton, Georgia, at 1820.
According to a witness during the inflation process of the balloon one of the tie down eyebolts broke. The quick release tie down eyebolt was installed on the tailgate of automobile. The windline hit the commercial pilot in the head. The balloon skid across the grass and hit a tree.
Examination of the balloon revealed that six wicker panels were broken. The fractured quick release tie down eyebolt was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory for further examination. The examination of the eyebolt revealed that the threaded portion of the eyebolt was fractured adjacent to one of the nuts. The fracture features were typical of a recent bending overstress fracture.
The commercial pilot was airlifted to Putnam County Medical Center, and subsequently moved to Atlanta Medical Center on April 8, 2004. The commercial pilot expired on April 11, 2004. No autopsy or toxicological examinations were performed. The death certificate states the cause of death as "cerebral herniation due to cerebral edema, blunt head and neck injury."
According to a representative from Firefly Balloons, the F8B is not equipped with the quick release tie down eyebolt system. The quick release tie down eyebolt is an after-market item.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2200D
- Reported as
- Firefly F8B
- Category
- Balloon
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Harry Dearing
- Departed
- Eatonton, GA
- Destination
- Eatonton, GA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Injuries
- Fatal
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC)
- Wind
- 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- MCN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.