Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 accident near Hurley, New Mexico, July 5, 1986
On July 5, 1986 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, registered N37486, was involved in an accident near Hurley, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 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
- July 5, 1986 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hurley, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 · all FIREFLY 7s on the register
- Registration
- N37486 · registry record · serial F7-124
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING, ONE OF THE PAXS IN THE BALLOON BASKET SUFFERED A BROKEN ANKLE. PLT SAYS LANDING WAS A NORMAL RIP OUT LANDING. NEITHER HE NOR PAX KNOWS HOW INJURY OCCURRED.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 259 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1985; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,660 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: First State Bank Of Dona Ana
The flight
- Departed from: 94E Silver City NM at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.