Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 accident near Napa, California, August 7, 1990
On August 7, 1990 at about 2:47 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 9, registered N9090M, was destroyed in an accident near Napa, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A PROBABLE MICROBURST WEATHER PHENOMENA WITH DOWN DRAFTS AND WINDS BEYOND THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY OF THE BALLOON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1990 · about 2:47 pm local time · cases in 1990
- Place
- Napa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 · all FIREFLY 9s on the register
- Registration
- N9090M · registry record · serial F9-034
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVENTEEN BALLOONS LAUNCHED FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE NAPA VALLEY FOR LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHTS. STATEMENTS FROM PILOTS, PASSENGERS AND GROUND WITNESSES SAID THAT WHILE THE BALLOONS WERE IN NORMAL DRIFTING FLIGHT A MICROBURST LIKE CONDITION SUDDENLY OCCURRED WHICH AFFECTED ALL OF THE BALLOONS. THE WEATHER PHENOMENA ENCOUNTERED INLCUDED STRONG GUSTING SURFACE AND ALOFT WINDS IN ADDITION TO SEVERE DOWN DRAFTS. THE BALLOONS WERE RAPIDLY FORCED TOWARD THE GROUND AS THEIR GROUND SPEED INCREASED RADICALLY. THE PILOTS OF SEVERAL BALLOONS REPORTED THAT THE SHAPES OF THEIR BALLOONS ENVELOPES WERE SEVERELY DISTORTED BY THE SUDDEN MOVEMENT OF THE AIRMASS. EIGHT OF THE 17 BALLOONS ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDINGS. FOUR OF THE BALLOONS COLLIDED WITH OBSTRUCTIONS AND THE GROUND DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDINGS. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, A LARGE THUNDERSTORM WAS REPORTED 30 MILES TO THE NORTH.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 548 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 477 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,285 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 2:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 am from APC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 | 4 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9090M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 9 11 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Balloon Works 565 aircraft on the register
- Engine: · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX90LA280.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.