Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, January 1, 1988
On January 1, 1988 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24, registered N74169, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 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
- January 1, 1988 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24 FIREFLY 8- · all FIREFLY 8-24s on the register
- Registration
- N74169 · no longer on the register · serial F8071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 381 hours in all; 92 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 334 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 1987; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Carefree AZ at 2:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 | 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.