- Date
- August 23, 1994, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sedona, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N90299Balloon Works Firefly 8-24
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940823048299A
- Case key
- 28840
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
a tip over of the balloon and basket during a high wind landing due to the pilot's inability to compensate for the increased wind speed conditions during the final stages of the flight and landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Prior to take off, the pilot launched a pibal which indicated that the surface wind was nearly calm, and the winds aloft were about 5 mph. Between 5 and 7 minutes prior to the planned time of landing, the wind speed increased to about 8 mph. At the time, the balloon was overflying unsuitable terrain for landing. After a few additional minutes of flying, the pilot located a clear area. The pilot briefed the passengers to prepare for a non-standup high wind landing. Although at touchdown the pilot vented air from the balloon, it tipped over and dragged along the terrain between 75 and 100 feet before coming to a stop.
Factual narrative
On August 23, 1994, at 0700 mountain standard time, a Balloon Works, Firefly 8-24, N90299, operated by Red Rock Balloon Adventures, made a high-wind landing on level terrain near Sedona, Arizona. The balloon was not damaged. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The third passenger received minor injuries, and the fourth passenger was seriously injured. The planned, local area, fare paying passenger flight originated from near Sedona, at 0605.
On August 24, the pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board that during his preflight preparations he had launched a pibal which indicated the wind was nearly calm at the surface, 5 miles per hour aloft, and in a favorable direction for the flight. No difficulty was experienced during takeoff, and the flight initially proceeded normally. The wind speed increased between 5 and 7 minutes prior to the planned landing time.
The pilot further reported that when he first observed his increased speed, the underlying terrain was rough and not suitable for landing. Therefore, he continued flying and looked for better terrain. After a few minutes, a clear area was sighted, and he commenced a descent. The pilot also stated that beyond the clear area there was additional rough terrain.
The pilot stated that he instructed all passengers to prepare for a landing in which the basket would likely tip over. Upon touchdown, the pilot pulled the balloon's vent line to release air. As expected, when the basket contacted the ground there was a forward lunging action, and the basket tipped over. The balloon came to rest after dragging along the terrain for between 75 and 100 feet.
According to the pilot, no nonstandard equipment was installed in the factory-built balloon which was equipped with six fuel tanks.
Upon landing, the tanks were about 1/4 full, and this would have provided for approximately 15 additional minutes of flying time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90299
- Reported as
- Balloon Works Firefly 8-24 (FIREFLY 8-)
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- F8-300
- Airframe hours
- 441
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Red Rock Balloon Adventures, doing business as Red Rock Balloon Adventures
- Registered owner
- Lawrence & Eileen Spraque
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 11, 1993 · 99 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · AZ
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 238 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 8 knots
- 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.