NTSB investigations: Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B
5 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B, where the first occurrence was “In flight collision with object”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.
Cases per year
| 1985 | 1 |
|---|---|
| 1987 | 1 |
| 1989 | 2 |
| 1996 | 1 |
Where
Open the mapLatest cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1050110')
AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 220))
ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1050110')
AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 220))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESCRun it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
NTSB SEA96LA122Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBalloon Works Firefly 8B · Wilsonville, ORfailure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the static wire, which became shorted to a transmission wire and subsequently caused a fire to erupt on the balloon's envelope. Factors relating to the accident were: the obstructions (power line wires), and the…NTSB NYC89LA212Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBalloon Works Firefly · Hatboro, PAImproper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance obstructions. A related factor was: the low level of propane (fuel), which resulted in low burner pressure.NTSB ATL89FA158Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportBalloon Works Firefly 8B · Garner, NCImproper planning/decision by the pilot, and his delay in initiating a climb as the Balloon converged on the tv tower.NTSB ATL87LA200Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBalloon Works Firefly 8B · Greenville, SCBalloon dtpted launch site about six miles sw of landing airport for a key grab during a Balloon ralley. Wind was about seven KTS according to PIC. Approaching field to land basket was dragged through tree tops to slow Balloon. Power line hidden by the trees…NTSB ANC85LA140Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBalloon Works Firefly 8 · Anchorage, AKWhile the plt was approaching a field to land, the wind shifted & gusted, blowing the Balloon toward a light standard. The envelope grazed the standard, ripping the material near the top of the Balloon. The Balloon then landed in the field. The wind was…