Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B accident near Louisville, Colorado, August 6, 1989
On August 6, 1989 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B, registered N74191, was involved in an accident near Louisville, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE WEATHER PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HIGH WINDS DEVELOPED DURING THE BALLOON FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A ROUGH LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1989 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 8B · all FIREFLY 8Bs on the register
- Registration
- N74191 · no longer on the register · serial F8B037
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS CALM WHEN HE LAUNCHED BUT BECAME STRONG AND GUSTY DURING THE ONE HR FLT. HE SAID HE LANDED ON THE TOP OF A MESA WITH THE WIND ESTIMATED TO BE 25 KTS, WITH GUSTS TO 35 KTS. DURING THE LANDING THE PASSENGERS WERE JOSTLED AROUND AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED A SERIOUS INJURY.
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: 391 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 379 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 363 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1989; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,660 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.