Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B accident near Flemington, New Jersey, July 11, 1993
On July 11, 1993, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B, registered N7113E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flemington, New Jersey (None airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PASSENGER'S INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF THE BURNER AFTER THE LANDING, CAUSING THE TERRAIN TO BURN AND SUBSEQUENTLY IGNITING THE BALLOON ENVELOPE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1993
- Place
- Flemington, New Jersey · None
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B · all FIREFLY 8Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7113E · no longer on the register · serial F8B-119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN UNEVENTFUL 45 MINUTE BALLOON FLIGHT, A LONG DRAG LANDING WAS MADE ONTO A HAY FIELD. NEAR THE END OF THE DRAG LANDING, THE BALLOON FLATTENED OUT SPREAD ACROSS THE STUBBLE OF THE HAY FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE BURNER WHILE EXITING THE GONDOLA. THE FLAMES FROM THE BURNER IGNITED THE STUBBLE UNDERNEATH THE ENVELOPE, SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSING THE ENVELOPE TO BURN.
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: 828 hours in all; 825 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 828 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 349 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1993
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Looking Up Advertising, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Frenchtown NJ at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.