Balloon Works FIREFLY 7B accident near Orlando, Florida, April 7, 1985
On April 7, 1985 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7B, registered N36938, was destroyed in an accident near Orlando, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 7, 1985 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7B · all FIREFLY 7Bs on the register
- Registration
- N36938 · no longer on the register · serial F7B-110
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALLOON WAS DESTROYED BY AN EXPLOSION AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE DURING TOUCHDOWN IN AN OPEN FLD. THE PLT AND WITNESSES STATED THE GONDOLA TOUCHED DOWN WITH A 'JOLT' AND TILTED IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY A HISSING NOISE AND A CLOUD OF PROPANE GAS VAPOR WAS SEEN RISING TOWARD THE PILOT LIGHT OF THE BURNER LOCATED NEAR THE OCCUPANT'S HEADS. THE PLT AND ONE PASSENGER ESCAPED FROM THE GONDOLA AS AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED. THE BALLOON THEN ASCENDED APRX 200 FT WITH THE 2ND PASSENGER STILL IN THE GONDOLA. A 2ND EXPLOSION WAS HEARD AT WHICH TIME THE GONDOLA SEPARATED FROM THE ENVELOPE AND FELL TO THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE METAL FITTING CONNECTING THE #1 PROPANE TANK TO THE FUEL SUPPLY HOSE HAD FAILED. METALLURGICAL EXAM DISCLOSED THE FRACTURE WAS DUE TO OVERSTRESS WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE.
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: 160 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 148 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 am from MCO, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.