- Date
- April 7, 1985, 08:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Orlando, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N36938Balloon Works Firefly 7B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850407051619A
- Case key
- 31238
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The balloon was destroyed by an explosion and subsequent fire during touchdown in an open fld. The plt and witnesses stated the gondola touched down with a 'jolt' and tilted in the direction of travel. Shortly thereafter, a popping noise was heard followed by a hissing noise and a cloud of propane gas vapor was seen rising toward the pilot light of the burner located near the occupant's heads. The plt and one passenger escaped from the gondola as an explosion occurred. The balloon then ascended aprx 200 ft with the 2nd passenger still in the gondola. A 2nd explosion was heard at which time the gondola separated from the envelope and fell to the ground. Investigation revealed the metal fitting connecting the #1 propane tank to the fuel supply hose had failed. Metallurgical exam disclosed the fracture was due to overstress with no evidence of fatigue.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36938
- Reported as
- Balloon Works Firefly 7B
- Category
- Balloon
- Serial number
- F7B-110
- Airframe hours
- 70
- Engine
- Unknown UNKNOWN, unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Balloons By Terry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Flight hours
- 160 total · 15 in this make and model · 148 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCO, 9 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.