# NTSB ERA16LA284: Balloon Works FIREFLY8, N317W, Northwood, NH, August 6, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 6, 2016, 18:50 local (22:50 UTC) - Place: Northwood, NH - Coordinates: 43.205276, -71.229446 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.2053&lon=-71.2294&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 93783 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA284 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93783/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93783 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA284 ## Probable cause The balloon pilot’s inadequate weather planning and improper decision to depart in reported increasing variable winds with nearby thunderstorms, which resulted in a subsequent hard landing and a serious passenger injury. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: weather planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061020): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061020/cases.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 156 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061020/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Convective weather: thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md) - [Wind: variable wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Preflight or dispatch event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030/sequence.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 355 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=1050109), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was providing sightseeing rides in a balloon as part of an annual event, which included 17 balloons. He stated that, during a weather briefing for the event, the wind was reported to be between 8 and 10 knots and forecast to reduce to less than 5 knots before increasing again. The pilot added that, after he inflated the balloon envelope, "it was not rocking," which meant to him that the weather "was not excessively windy." He boarded five passengers and departed. The balloon uneventfully climbed to between about 1,200 and 1,500 ft. The pilot then chose a 5-acre field for landing about 6 miles south of the departure point. The balloon landed hard, and the basket momentarily tipped over before righting itself; it then dragged along the ground before coming to a stop at the edge of the field. During the landing, one passenger fell inside the basket and was seriously injured. Before the launch, several pibals (pilot balloons) were released to assess the wind conditions, which were determined to be changeable. Additionally, thunderstorms were moving through an area about 15 miles north of the balloons' planned departure point. Based on that information, the other 16 balloon pilots chose not to launch. The recorded weather at an airport located about 12 miles west of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included wind from 340° at 15 knots. ## Factual narrative On August 6, 2016, at 1850 eastern daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly 8, N317W, experienced a hard landing in Northwood, New Hampshire. The balloon was not damaged. The commercial pilot and four other passengers were not injured; one passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local sightseeing flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from Drake Field, Pittsfield, New Hampshire, about 1730.The flight was participating in the Suncook Valley Rotary Club annual balloon rally, held in Pittsfield, New Hampshire. According to the pilot, the wind was discussed during a weather briefing for the event as being 8 to 10 knots and forecasted to reduce to less than 5 knots before increasing again. He indicated that after he inflated the balloon envelope, "it was not rocking which means it was not excessively windy," so he boarded the five non-paying passengers and departed. The flight climbed to an altitude between 1,200 and 1,500 feet and was uneventful. The pilot selected a 5-acre field for landing about 6 miles south of Pittsfield. The landing was "a bit rough," and the basket momentarily tipped over before righting itself, then dragged for some distance before coming to a stop at the edge of the field. During the landing, one passenger fell inside the basket, fracturing his pelvis and leg. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, prior to the scheduled balloon launch time of 1730, several pilot balloons (pibals) were released to assess the wind conditions, which were determined to be "changeable." Thunderstorms were moving through the Laconia area (about 15 miles north of Pittsfield) at the scheduled launch time. There were 16 other pilots/balloons scheduled to participate in the event; due to the weather conditions none of them chose to launch that evening. The 1851 automated weather observation at Concord Municipal Airport (CON), Concord, New Hampshire, located about 12 miles west of the accident site, included wind from 340° at 15 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 28° C, and dew point 16° C. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N317W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N317W), registered now, S/N F8-403 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIREFLY8 - Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8) (registry code 1050109) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: F8-403 - Year built: 1994 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Araho Balloon Company Inc - Registered owner: Araho Balloon Company Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Balloon - Departed: Pittsfield, NH - Destination: Northwood, NH - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: none; flight hours: 1,800 total, 1,200 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.64 inHg - Observed at: KCON, 12 nm away ## 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 20160806010759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160806010759A), Aug 6, 2016: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8, Northwoods, NH, No damage, 1 fatal. Pilot departed field in pittsfield NH with 5 passengers. During the landing the Balloon hit the ground hard and bounced back airborne approximately 5 ft. the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 15, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93783. 668 KB in all. - Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 233 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468380&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468381&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photograph (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 187 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468382&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph-Master.PDF - Weather Report (item 4, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468383&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF 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.