Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 accident near Greenville, South Carolina, July 5, 1982
On July 5, 1982 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, registered N2236H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Donaldson Center airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1982 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Donaldson Center · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 · all FIREFLY 7s on the register
- Registration
- N2236H · no longer on the register · serial 7776
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLON WITH THREE PERSONS ON BOARD DROPPED TOO LOW IN A TARGET HITTING CONTEST. THE PILOT THEN DECIDED HE COULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE WIRES SO HE VENTED THE BALLOON IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND SHORT. THE BAG CONTACTED THE WIRES AND BURNED. THE PILOT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 7A1 Greenville SC at 8:00 am
- Destination: 7A1 Greenville SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.