# NTSB FTW00LA224: Balloon Works Firefly 8, N9091R, Tulsa, OK, August 6, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 6, 2000, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC) - Place: Tulsa, OK - Location: 36.1540° N, 95.9928° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tulsa, OK, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1540&lon=-95.9928&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49931 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW00LA224 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49931/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA224 ## Probable cause The passenger's failure to comply with the briefing administered by the pilot. Factors were the passenger's physical impairment due to an injury sustained during the initial ground impact and the high wind condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - passenger briefing - not complied with, passenger (cause) - physical impairment, passenger (contributing factor) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot briefed the passengers to expect a rough landing due to surface winds of to 8-10 knots. During the approach, the pilot intentionally 'touched the top of trees with the basket to slow the descent.' The pilot reported that during the descent he briefed the passengers three times to bend their knees, face forward, and hold on. The balloon initially contacted the ground hard and bounced back into the air. During the second ground impact, a passenger was ejected from the basket, and subsequently, the balloon basket 'rolled over him.' The passenger reported that 'he felt pain the first time the basket hit [and] let go.' ## Factual narrative On August 6, 2000, at 0800 central daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly 8, hot-air balloon, N9091R, sustained minor damage during a hard landing in a field near Catoosa, Oklahoma. The private pilot and his three passengers were not injured, and one passenger sustained a serious injury. The balloon was registered to and operated by the Reno Vet Center Inc., Reno, Nevada. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated in a staging area near Tulsa, Oklahoma at 0715. According to the pilot and passengers, the pilot briefed the passengers to expect a rough landing due to surface winds of 8-10 knots. During the approach, the pilot intentionally "touched the top of the trees with the basket to slow the descent." The pilot reported that "the flame went out and then was relit by a passenger" as he touched the top of the trees with the basket. He then briefed the passengers "for the third time to bend knees, face forward, and hold on." The balloon initially contacted the ground hard and bounced back into the air. During the second ground impact, a passenger was ejected from the basket, and subsequently, the balloon's basket "rolled over him." The passenger who was ejected reported that "he felt pain the first time the basket hit [and] let go." The passengers added that during the pre-landing briefing the pilot stated that "they could have a rough landing," and that "the pilot did a good job landing." The Balloon Works Firefly 8 Flight Manual, section 5, paragraph 5.1, states that the "maximum demonstrated wind speed at landing during certification tests was 7 knots." In the enclosed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), under the section titled Recommendations, the pilot stated "passenger could have held on more tightly. In future will only fly if [the] surface winds forecast at 7 mph or less." FAA inspectors, who examined the balloon, reported that the envelope sustained a tear 2-3 feet in length. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9091R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9091R), registered now, S/N F8-353, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 - 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: F8-353 - Airframe hours: 310 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Reno Vet Center - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 11, 2000, 23 hours before - Departed: NONE, OK - Destination: NONE, CATOOSA, OK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; private; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 207 total, 29 in this make and model, 207 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °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 20000806006379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000806006379A), Aug 6, 2000: Balwks FIREFLY8, Catoosa, OK, No damage. (-23) The pilot stated that he was participating in a balloon race with gatesway international balloon festival. He had four passengers on board. The winds had… 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.