# NTSB DEN88LA010: Balloon Works Firefly 7, N36988, Albuquerque, NM, October 5, 1987 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 5, 1987, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Location: 35.0845° N, 106.6511° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Albuquerque, NM, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0845&lon=-106.6511&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 24, 1989 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 17405 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN88LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17405/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88LA010 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, climb - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - proper climb rate - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Midair collision, climb - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - proper climb rate - not maintained, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) TWO BALLOONS, A RALLY AND A FIREFLY, COLLIDED IN FLIGHT DURING THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. THE PILOT OF THE FIRELY WAS CLIMBING AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET PER MINUTE WHEN HIS ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE BASKET OF THE RALLY. THE PILOT OF THE RALLY STATED HE OBSERVED THE FIREFLY CLIMBING AT 'A VERY FAST RATE' AND HE ACTIVATED HIS BURNER IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FAA WAIVER FOR THE FIESTA STATED THAT CLIMBS WERE TO BE MADE AT A RATE NO GREATER THAN 200 FEET PER MINUTE. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) TWO BALLOONS, A RALLY AND A FIREFLY, COLLIDED IN FLIGHT DURING THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. THE PILOT OF THE FIREFLY WAS CLIMBING AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET PER MINUTE WHEN HIS ENVELOPE CONTACTED THE BASKET OF THE RALLY. THE PILOT OF THE RALLY STATED HE OBSERVED THE FIREFLY CLIMBING AT A 'VERY FAST RATE' AND HE ACTIVATED HIS BURNER IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FAA WAIVER FOR THE FIESTASTATED THAT CLIMBS WERE TO BE MADE AT A RATE NO GREATER THAN 200 FEET PER MINUTE. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N36988](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36988-1997-02-07), registration cancelled 1997-02-07, S/N F7199 (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: F7199 - Airframe hours: 65 - Engines: UNKNOWN UNKNOWN unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Frank W. Hoover - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 1987, 10 hours before ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N6464N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6464N-2023-05-16), registration cancelled 2023-05-16, S/N RX7-3063 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RAVEN RX-7 - Registry model: [Raven Industries RALLY RX7](https://openairdocs.org/model/raven-industries-rally-rx7) (registry code 7480503) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: RX7-3063 - Airframe hours: 41 - Engines: UNKNOWN UNKNOWN unknown - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Reynolds, Francis G. - Registered owner: Francis Reynolds - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 31, 1987, 41 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N36988; age 41; commercial; flight hours: 650 total, 650 in this make and model, 650 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot, aircraft N6464N; age 50; private; flight hours: 50 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 3 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19871005061032A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871005061032A), Oct 5, 1987: Balwks FIREFLY7, Albuquerque, NM. Balloon basket was struck from below by the envelope of balloon N6464N that was rising at a faster rate. No damage. - [Accident 19871005061031A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871005061031A), Oct 5, 1987: Raven RX7, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. Balloon envelope struck the basket of a higher balloon N36988 on climbout. Impact tore the envelope. Landed safely. 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.