Barnes FIREFLY-7 accident near Cincinnati, Ohio, February 27, 1982
On February 27, 1982 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Barnes FIREFLY-7 (balloon), registered N1522W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- February 27, 1982 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cincinnati, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Barnes FIREFLY-7
- Registration
- N1522W · registry record · serial 11114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT STATED THAT AFTER A NORMAL INFLATION, BEFORE THE BALLOON WAS HOT ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT, A GUST OF WIND BLEW IT INTO A SCHOOL BUILDING. AFTER STRIKING THE BUILDING, THE BALLOON WAS DRAGGED THROUGH A LINE OF TREES.
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: 160 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 144 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cincinnati OH at 5:17 pm
- Destination: Cincinnati OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 129°F (54°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from LUK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.