Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 4, 1982
On October 4, 1982 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, registered N58LB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, 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 4, 1982 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, 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 · all FIREFLY 7s on the register
- Registration
- N58LB · registry record · serial 10974
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE LANDING IN A ZOO PARKING LOT. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT IN ATTEMPTING TO LAND NEXT TO THE BALLOON THEY WERE CHASING IN A HOUND AND HARE GAME, HE ALLOWED THE GONDOLA TO DRAG THROUGH THE TREE TOPS. THE ENVELOPE THEN CAUGHT ON A TREE AND DURING THE ENCOUNTER THE ENVELOPE WAS TORN BY THE BRANCHES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 271 hours in all; 271 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 7:45 am
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.