Firefly AX8B accident near Durhamville, New York, April 2, 2010
On April 2, 2010 at about 11:50 am local time, a Firefly AX8B (balloon), registered N1514G, was involved in an accident during landing near Durhamville, New York. 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 passenger's failure to adequately brace herself for the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2010 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Durhamville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Firefly AX8B
- Registration
- N1514G · registry record · serial F8B2024
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the balloon stated that at the conclusion of the 1-hour flight, with two passengers, he conducted a typical landing to a "level, grassy" golf course fairway. During the landing, one of the passengers "lost [her] footing" in the gondola, fell, and slid into the pilot. The pilot then fell onto the passenger, fracturing her ankle. The pilot did not mention if he gave the passengers a prelanding briefing prior to the landing.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 71 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 22, 2009
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Munnsville NY at 10:30 am
- Destination: Durhamville NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from RME, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.