Balloon Works BARNES FIREFLY 8-24 accident near Burnsville, Minnesota, May 27, 1984
On May 27, 1984 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Balloon Works BARNES FIREFLY 8-24, registered N3679A, was involved in an accident near Burnsville, Minnesota. 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
- May 27, 1984 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burnsville, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works BARNES FIREFLY 8-24 BARNES FIR
- Registration
- N3679A · no longer on the register · serial F8015
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ENVELOPE WAS BEING DEFLATED WHEN A GUST OF WIND TIPPED THE BASKET. THE PLT SAID HE SAW A YOUNG BOY WITH HIS LEG UNDER THE BASKET. THE PLT LIFTED THE EDGE OF THE BASKET BY STEPPING OUT OF IT TO FREE THE BOY AND THE WIND DRAGGED THE BASKET. THE WIND WAS REPORTED BEING FROM THE NE AT 7 KTS WITH NO REPORTED GUSTS. THE BOYS MOTHER SAID HER SON WAS RECENTLY ALLOWED TO RIDE IN ANOTHER BALLOON AS THE CHASE CREW 'WALKED' THE BALLOON TO THE CHASE VEHICLE. SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT HE WAS HOPING TO GET ANOTHER 'WALK' RIDE. THE BOYS LEG WAS FRACTURED IN THIS INSTANCE.
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
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1983; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rosemont MN at 10:02 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MSP, 10 miles away
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.