# NTSB LAX84LA425: Balloon Works Fire FLY 8-24, N27046, Yountville, CA, July 27, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 27, 1984, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Yountville, CA
- Coordinates: 38.409538, -122.359024 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4095&lon=-122.3590&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: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 24360
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX84LA425
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/24360/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX84LA425

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - roll
  - proper descent rate - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - passenger briefing - not performed, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE INITIAL LANDING WAS IN AN AREA OF LIMITED ACCESS AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT OVER A TREE LINE TO A NEARBY MORE SUITABLE FIELD. IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING CARRIED INTO A SECOND DOWNWIND TREE LINE, THE PLT DESCENDED THE BALLOON INTO THE FIELD AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE PLT CAUTIONED THE PASSENGERS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO 'HIT HARD.' A 75 YEAR OLD PASSENGER SUFFERED A BROKEN RIB. THE PLT STATED THAT SHE NEVER BRIEFS THE PASSENGERS BEFORE THE FLIGHT ON WHAT TYPE OF LANDING TO EXPECT OR THE POSSIBLE HAZARD OF GETTING HURT DURING THE LANDING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N27046](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27046-1995-07-17), registration cancelled 1995-07-17, S/N 804 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALLOON WORKS FIRE FLY 8-24 (FIRE FLY 8)
- Registry model: [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8-24) (registry code 1050107) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Balloon
- Airframe hours: 899
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91
- Registered owner: Nappa Valley Balloons, Inc.
- Last inspection: Unknown, July 19, 1984, 12 hours before
- Departed: YOUNTVILLE, CA
- Destination: YOUNTVILLE, CA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; commercial; flight hours: 133 total, 6 in this make and model, 95 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 315° at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °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 19840727036599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840727036599A), Jul 27, 1984: Balwks FIREFLY824, Yountville, CA. Hard landing resulted in injuries to passenger.

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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