Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico, October 5, 1987
On October 5, 1987 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B, registered N15260, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Rancho, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- October 5, 1987 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B FIREFLY 7- · all FIREFLY 7-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N15260 · no longer on the register · serial 10978
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPTD THAT SHE HAD VENTED THE BALLOON TO LAND. SHE SAID IT TAKES BOTH OF HER HANDS TO OPEN THE VENT AND HOLD IT OPEN. 'WHEN THE BALLOON HIT THE GROUND THE BURNER WENT ON BY ITSELF, WIDE OPEN. THE ENVELOPE WAS SWINGING FROM THE CONTACT OF THE BASKET WITH THE GROUND AND WAS IN THE PATH OF THE BURNER ALMOST INSTANTLY.' THE ENVELOPE WAS DAMAGED BY THE FIRE BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSP EXAMINED THE BURNER AFTER THE ACCD. HE REPORTED THAT 'BEFORE TEARDOWN THE BURNER ASSY WAS INSTALLED ON THE GONDOLA AND OPERATIONALLY TESTED. THE VALVE WAS OPERATED NORMALLY APPROX 10 ON/OFF CYCLES. THE VALVE WAS PRESSURE TESTED AND NO LEAKS WERE NOTED. THE BLAST VALVE WAS THEN REMOVED FROM THE BURNER ASSY AND DISASSEMBLED. THE DIMENSION BETWEEN THE ACTUATING LEVER AND THE BONNET WAS APPROX .006 INSTEAD OF THE REQ MIN OF .010. THIS WAS DUE TO AN EXTRA TEFLON WASHER INSTALLED BETWEEN THE LEVER AND BONNET, HOWEVER, THE OPERATION OF THE VALVE WAS NOT AFFECTED.' NO OTHER DISCREPENCIES WERE NOTED.
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: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 79 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 251 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1987; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.