Balloon Works Firefly 9 accident near Questa, New Mexico, March 30, 2008
On March 30, 2008 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Balloon Works Firefly 9, registered N72345, was destroyed in an accident during landing near Questa, New Mexico (None airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The balloon's encounter with a wind gust/downdraft during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2008 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Questa, New Mexico · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works Firefly 9 · all Firefly 9s on the register
- Registration
- N72345 · no longer on the register · serial F9-074
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that he and the five passengers departed in his hot air balloon and drifted down a local gorge. The flight was normal until it was time to land. As the pilot descended to a large open grass field (where he has landed many times before), he told the passengers that they should bend their knees. When the balloon was about 20 feet agl, a large gust of wind caused the balloon to descend rapidly with a forward motion until it hit the ground. The impact was hard enough to eject four of the passengers and to break one of the burner can mounts, which caused it to point downward. The balloon then caught fire as it ascended approximately 30 feet high with the pilot and one of the passengers still onboard. The pilot said the he attempted to turn off the pilot light to the burner cans, but to no avail. He told the passenger not to jump, because the balloon was now starting to descend. The balloon then hit the ground again hard, and the pilot and the passenger were ejected. The balloon then bounced a few more times as it traveled north towards rising terrain where it became fully engulfed in flames and was incinerated. The pilot said that before the flight, he obtained weather information from the local airports and also released pilot balloons to determine wind direction. The winds were calm at the beginning of the flight and then "arced" toward the north-northwest while en route; however, he did not know the speed of the wind. Other wise, the weather as clear of clouds and unlimited visibility. The pilot stated that the balloon most likely encountered a roll cloud from the nearby ridge.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (descent)
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 853 hours in all
- Last flight review: May 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 443 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2007
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Taos NM at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Questa NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from SKX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.