Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, August 5, 1989
On August 5, 1989 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B, registered N27113, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE TEMPERATURE LIMITATIONS OF THE BALLOON DURING THE CLIMB, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE FRABRIC. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PREVIOUS HEAT DAMAGE TO THE FRABRIC, AND THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE BY THE PILOT/OWNER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1989 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B · all FIREFLY 6Bs on the register
- Registration
- N27113 · no longer on the register · serial 6670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE U.S. NATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON CHAMPIONSHIP. VIDEO TAPES SHOWED THAT AT AN UNDETERMINED ALT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE BALLOON'S RATE OF ASCENT INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY. SUBSEQUENTLY, AT ABOUT 3000 FT AGL, FABRIC WAS OBSERVED TO BEGIN FLAPPING & THE BALLOON ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT WITH THE BURNER OPERATING. IT THEN IMPACTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. AN EXAM OF THE BALLOON REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING OF THE FABRIC. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT OVERHEATING HAD OCCURRED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THE REQUIRED TEMP GAGE, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MOUNTED IN THE TOP OF THE GONDOLA, WAS NOT FOUND.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,730 hours in all; 180 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from BTR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 FTW89FA143.