Barnes FF-8-24 accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, February 25, 1985
On February 25, 1985, a Barnes FF-8-24 (balloon), registered N3608C, was destroyed in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 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
- February 25, 1985
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Barnes FF-8-24
- Registration
- N3608C · registry record · serial 838
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON LANDING THE BALLOON TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE DESIRED LANDING AREA. THE PILOT HEATED SLIGHTLY IN ORDER TO PROCEED TO SMOOTH FIELD. A STRONG GUST PICKED UP THE BALLOON AND TOOK IT INTO POWER LINES WHICH ARCED AND THE BALLOON CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE 4 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS.
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: 197 hours in all; 197 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 234 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 4, 1985; 38 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: Unk
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 275° at 4 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.