# NTSB FTW98LA008: Balloon Works Firefly 8-24, N74056, Albuquerque, NM, October 6, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 6, 1997, 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: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 31, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 20448
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA008
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20448/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA008

## Probable cause

the passenger's failure to follow procedures/directives for the landing.

## Sequence of events

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

- Miscellaneous/other, landing - flare/touchdown
  - procedures/directives - not followed, passenger (cause)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, the 'approach to landing was normal.'  He stated that the balloon 'touched down, bounced once, and came to a normal upright stop.'  The injured passenger (the pilot's wife) reported to the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) that 'she had her arm around an upright and was holding on very hard.'  She stated to the IIC that she believed that the 'landing was not a difficult landing,' but she was having 'some difficulty with my [her] knees' and did not have them bent as the pilot had instructed. Subsequently, during the landing sequence, she fractured her arm.

## Factual narrative

On October 6, 1997, approximately 0800 mountain daylight time, a Balloon Works Firefly 8-24 balloon, N74056, was not damaged  during a normal landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The pilot and one of his passengers were not injured; however, the second passenger received serious injuries.  The balloon was being operated by the owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight which originated from Albuquerque, New Mexico, approximately 30 minutes before the accident.  A flight plan had not been filed.

According to the pilot, the "approach to landing was normal."  He stated that the balloon "touched down, bounced once, and came to a normal upright stop."  The injured passenger (the pilot's wife) reported to the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) that "she had her arm around an upright and was holding on very hard."  She stated that she believed that the "landing was not a difficult landing," but she was having "some difficulty with my [her] knees" and did not have them bent as the pilot had instructed.  Subsequently, during the landing sequence, she fractured her arm.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N74056](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N74056-2013-09-24), registration cancelled 2013-09-24, S/N F8-078, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24 (FIREFLY 8-)
- Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8-24) (registry code 1050107) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Serial number: F8-078
- Airframe hours: 1048
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Charles H. Sundquist
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 30, 1997, 21 hours before
- Departed: ABQ

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; commercial; medical: unknown, unknown; flight hours: 1,657 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 1,522 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °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 19971006037599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971006037599A), Oct 6, 1997: Balwks FIREFLY824, Albuquerque, NM. Bounced landing. Passenger received a broken arm. Failed to bend her knees as instruckted. (-23) on October 6, 1997, at approximately 0800 mountain daylight…

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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