Balloon Works FIREFLY-7 accident near Wyoming, Michigan, May 20, 1982
On May 20, 1982 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY-7, registered N1533N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wyoming, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 20, 1982 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Wyoming, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY-7 · all FIREFLY-7s on the register
- Registration
- N1533N · no longer on the register · serial 10204
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A PARKING LOT. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE BALLOON WAS ABOUT 15 FEET FROM THE GROUND A GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE BALLOON DOWN INTO SOME TREES AND AN APARTMENT HOUSE.
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: 1,059 hours in all; 1,059 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 117 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,080 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Schelde INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Wyoming MI at 7:38 pm
- Destination: Wyoming MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1533N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.