# NTSB LAX03LA097: Firefly 11B, N1501H, Yountville, CA, February 25, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 25, 2003, 07:55 local (15:55 UTC) - Place: Yountville, CA - Coordinates: 38.416667, -122.349998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4167&lon=-122.3500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Inspector - NTSB case key (mKey): 56542 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA097 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56542/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA097 ## Probable cause A bystander was impaired by drugs and did not follow the pilot's directive to release the balloon as it began its ascent. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, takeoff - impairment(drugs), other person (cause) - procedures/directives - not followed, other person (cause) - planning/decision - inadequate, other person ## Analysis A bystander sustained fatal injuries after falling from a balloon. Although the scheduled flight had been canceled, the pilot was going to lift the balloon several hundred feet into the air so that the passengers could take a picture of the balloon in flight. As the balloon was being repositioned by five members of a ground crew, two bystanders grabbed onto the basket and it ascended more than the pilot had planned. She called to everyone to release. The five crew members and one bystander released; however, one bystander continued holding onto the balloon. During the ascent, the pilot realized the bystander was hanging on and told him to hang on while she descended. However, the bystander was unable to hold on and fell to his death. Tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) levels in the bystander suggested use within the hour and significant impairment. ## Factual narrative On February 25, 2003, about 0755 Pacific standard time, a bystander fell from a Firefly 11B balloon, N1501H, during departure from Yountville, California. Bonaventure Balloon Company was operating the balloon under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot was not injured; the bystander sustained fatal injuries. The balloon was not damaged during the local positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that the flight was canceled as a result of poor weather conditions. However, she was going to lift the balloon into the air so that the scheduled passengers could take a picture of the balloon in flight. This required repositioning the balloon around a tree. The balloon was approximately 5 feet off the ground during the repositioning, with five ground crew members assisting in the repositioning. Two of the bystanders (passengers) came from behind and grabbed onto the handles at the bottom of the basket. This resulted in the balloon impacting the side of the tree. The pilot said, "Let go and hold the ropes," intending to raise the balloon back up 5 feet to clear the tree. The ground crew chief realized the two bystanders were latched onto the balloon and said, "Let go!" The balloon ascended and one of the bystanders did not release the balloon. It continued to ascend to approximately 100 feet above ground level (agl) and the pilot realized that the bystander was hanging from the balloon. She told him to "...hold on..." but after a short time he released the balloon. The loss of weight resulted in the balloon ascending another 100 feet. The pilot landed uneventfully moments later. A toxicological test for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs was completed on the bystander at the Federal Aviation Administration Toxicology and Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The test was positive for the following: 0.0081 (ug/ml, ug/g) of tetrahydrocannabinol detected in blood; an unquantified amount of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid detected in blood; 0.0385 (ug/ml, ug/g) tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid detected in bile; 0.024 (ug/ml, ug/g) propoxyphene detected in blood; 0.157 (ug/ml, ug/g) propoxyphene detected in liver; 0.135 (ug/ml, ug/g) norpropoxyphene detected in blood; and 1.85 (ug/ml, ug/g) norpropoxyphene detected in liver. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1501H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1501H-2014-01-14), registration cancelled 2014-01-14, S/N F11B-2001, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FIREFLY 11B - Registry model: [Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 11B](https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-firefly-11b) (registry code 1050115) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Balloon - Serial number: B112001 - Airframe hours: 33 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bonaventura Balloon Company - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 23, 2002, 10.5 hours before - Departed: YOUNTVILLE, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review May 12, 2002; seat: center; flight hours: 2,425 total, 2,430 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: APC, 10 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 20030225002879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030225002879A), Feb 25, 2003: Balwks FIREFLY11B, Yountville, CA, 1 fatal. (-23) During ground handling in preparation for "tethered" operations the balloon became airborne with one individual still holding on. The balloon ascended to… 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.