Firefly Balloons Galaxy 11B accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 9, 2003
On October 9, 2003 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Firefly Balloons Galaxy 11B, registered N2190S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a high-wind landing, resulting in a hard landing, the subsequent tipping of the balloon's basket, a post impact flash fire, and the ejection of two passengers. Contributing factors include the high wind conditions and the rough/uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2003 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Firefly Balloons Galaxy 11B
- Registration
- N2190S · no longer on the register · serial N/A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he prepared for landing and descended the balloon to check the winds. He noticed that the winds had increased to "16 to 22 mph," so he decided to climb back up and look for a larger area in which to land. He briefed his passengers and prepared them for a high-wind landing. As the balloon descended, it came out of the "12 to 14 mph winds into 16 to 20 mph winds." The pilot said he had to "burn hard" to control the balloon as it came into the faster winds. When the balloon leveled out at approximately 2 feet off the ground, he pulled hard on the vent line. However, at that time, he "didn't turn off the pilot lights, because I [he] knew that with all the extra heat, it was going to bounce up." When the balloon struck the ground, it bounced approximately 20 feet into the air. On the second touchdown, the pilot turned off the pilot light. As the balloon slid across the ground, the basket rotated approximately 90 degrees and then tumbled on its side. When the basket tumbled, the pilot felt a "flash back from the burner." At that point, the pilot noticed that two passengers had been thrown from the basket. One of them had caught her foot on the basket and the balloon was dragging her across the ground. The balloon came to a stop approximately 800 feet from the first touchdown point. The pilot stated that when he went back to the balloon, he identified that "both pilot lights were off" and he found a "jacket wrapped around the blast valve handle." Although three passengers were not injured, the pilot, and one passenger received minor injuries, and six passengers were seriously injured.
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: 1,203 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,191 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 25, 2003
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 20, 2003; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 250 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from ABQ, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 5 | 3 |
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 N2190S 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.