Barnes FIREFLY 7 accident near Holden, Louisiana, November 19, 1986
On November 19, 1986 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Barnes FIREFLY 7 (balloon), registered N1245F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holden, Louisiana. It was an instructional 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
- November 19, 1986 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Holden, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Barnes FIREFLY 7
- Registration
- N1245F · no longer on the register · serial 160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A COMMERCIALLY RATED PILOT ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS ATTEMPTING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING IN THE MEDIAN OF HIWAY I-12 1 MILE EAST OF HOLDEN, LA. THE PILOT FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID SOME POWER LINES SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE BALLOON. THE PILOT AND STUDENT PILOT WERE NOT INJURED.
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: 625 hours in all; 625 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 612 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 105 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1986
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.