Balloon Works FireFly 7B-15 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, August 27, 2002
On August 27, 2002, a Balloon Works FireFly 7B-15, registered N242MS, was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was an aerial observation 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 pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the high wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2002
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FireFly 7B-15 · all FireFly 7B-15s on the register
- Registration
- N242MS · registry record · serial F7B-379
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the balloon flight, the pilot checked the weather conditions from several weather reporting sources and determined that the conditions were suitable for flight. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot noticed that the surface winds appeared to be increasing. The pilot briefed the passengers on high wind landing procedures and "executed a textbook high wind landing." After the balloon came to rest, the pilot and passengers exited the balloon basket; however, one of the passengers mentioned that her ankle was sore. It was determined by medical personnel that the passenger sustained a broken ankle.
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: 883 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 883 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2002; 39.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Operator: Flying High Balloon Services
The flight
- Departed from: Edmond OK
- Destination: Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW02LA240.