# NTSB DEN00LA071: Balloon Works Firefly F-15, N2571F, Anthony, NM, April 9, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 9, 2000, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: Anthony, NM
- Coordinates: 31.94948, -107.019111 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9495&lon=-107.0191&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 29, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 48919
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA071
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48919/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA071

## Probable cause

Failure by the pilot to keep the burner operating until the balloon was secured.  A factor was the passengers disregarding the instructions they had been given by the pilot.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, landing - aborted
  - object - wire,transmission
  - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, passenger (contributing factor)
  - equipment,other - initiated, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

Following landing, and prior to the balloon being secured to the ground, the pilot shut down the burner and the passengers egressed from the basket contrary to the pilot's instructions, which were to stay in the basket until she told them to exit.  As a result of the decrease in weight, the balloon lifted off and drifted into power lines. Because the burner was shut down, the pilot had no control in the vertical plane.

## Factual narrative

On April 9, 2000, at 0815 mountain daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly F-15, N2571F, sustained substantial damage at Anthony, New Mexico, when it drifted into power lines following landing.  The private pilot and her two passengers were not injured.  The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed.

According to the pilot, the passengers disregarded her instructions and exited the basket before the balloon was secured following landing.  The burners had been shut down and the valves placed in the off position.  The pilot said that when the passengers disembarked, the decrease in weight caused the balloon to rise and it drifted into nearby power lines.  The lines arced and caused fire damage to the envelope.  The pilot remained in the basket until it came to rest.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2571F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2571F-2015-05-06), registration cancelled 2015-05-06, S/N F7-824 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Balloon Works FIREFLY F-15 (FIREFLY F-)
- Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7-15) (registry code 1050118) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 7824-3
- Airframe hours: 49
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Marta C. Pritchard
- Registered owner: Michael L Pritchard
- Last inspection: Annual, May 21, 1999, 10 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; private; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 49 total, 49 in this make and model, 29 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20000409014929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000409014929A), Apr 9, 2000: Balwks FIREFLY715, Anthony, NM, Substantial damage. (.4) Following landing, and prior to the balloon being secured to the ground, the pilot shut down the burner and the passengers egressed from the basket…

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.

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