Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 accident near Amarillo, Texas, May 27, 1984
On May 27, 1984 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7, registered N3610R, was involved in an accident near Amarillo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- May 27, 1984 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 · all FIREFLY 7s on the register
- Registration
- N3610R · no longer on the register · serial F7-031
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PRE-FLT BREIFING, THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 280 DEG AT 6 TO 12 KTS. AT LAUNCH TIME, THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT 7 KTS. HE TOOK OFF AT 0720 CDT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY & CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. APRX 1 HR AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PLT TRIED TO LAND, BUT REPORTED AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE & WIND SHEAR INDICATING THE WIND HAD INCREASED. HE DECIDED TO FLY TO WHERE THE TERRAIN WAS 'BROKEN' & HE COULD 'EXPECT A BETTER WINDBREAK.' AT ABOUT 10 FT AGL, HE 'RIPPED OUT.' THE BALLOON CONTACTED THE GROUND & DRAGGED APRX 100 YDS, CAME TO A BRIEF STOP, & BLEW ANOTHER 10 TO 15 FT. AT THAT POINT, ONE PASSENGER FELL OUT OF THE BASKET. THE BASKET WAS BLOWN OVER HER & BROKE HER ARM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE HAD PROPERLY BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS ON THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES FOR THE PREVAILING WIND.
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: 108 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1984; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,660 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Amarillo TX at 12:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:40 am
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.