# NTSB DEN87LA074: Balloon Works Firefly 7, N1521G, Park City, UT, March 26, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 26, 1987, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: Park City, UT
- Coordinates: 40.639736, -111.48999 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6397&lon=-111.4900&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 9, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17181
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN87LA074
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17181/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN87LA074

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)
  - descent - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - passenger briefing - not followed, passenger (cause)
- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - balloon equipment,basket - movement restricted (contributing factor)
  - recovery from bounced landing - not possible, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - unsafe/hazardous condition warning - disregarded, passenger (cause)

## Analysis

THE BALLOON WAS LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD AND STRUCK A ROCK. ONE PAX HAD PREPARED FOR HARD LANDING AND ONE HAD ELECTED TO CONTINUE FILMING. THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS THROWN FORWARD OUT OF THE BASKET AND THE BASKET PASSED OVER HIM, COMING TO REST 50 FEET AWAY.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1521G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1521G-1999-08-28), registration cancelled 1999-08-28, S/N 11113 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY 7
- Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7) (registry code 1050100) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: 11113
- Engines: NONE NONE unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Registered owner: Carl Palmer
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 2, 1987, 39 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; commercial; flight hours: 130 total, 130 in this make and model, 130 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 28 °F

## 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 19870326009279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870326009279A), Mar 26, 1987: Balwks FIREFLY7, Park City, UT. A passenger was thrown from the balloon during a hard landing. Passenger ignored pilot safety briefing. Gusty winds.

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.

---
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.