Balloon Works FIRE FLY 7-15 accident near Storm Lake, Iowa, September 2, 1994
On September 2, 1994, a Balloon Works FIRE FLY 7-15, registered N2597S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Storm Lake, Iowa (Storm Lake Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's excessive rate of descent to landing. Factors in the accident were the gusts and downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1994
- Place
- Storm Lake, Iowa · Storm Lake Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIRE FLY 7-15 FIRE FLY 7
- Registration
- N2597S · no longer on the register · serial F7-811
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as he approached his destination airport in his hot air balloon, the balloon encountered a downdraft from a dissipating thunderstorm. He intended to bring the hot air balloon down to the ground quickly to avoid the wind from blowing the balloon across the ground. Although he continued burning all the way to the ground, the pilot was unable to stop the balloon's high rate of descent. The gondola impacted the ground hard, rebounded into the air to approximately 100 feet above the ground, and then impacted the ground again. The balloon continued along the ground until it struck power lines where it came to rest.
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: 474 hours in all; 474 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 464 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.