Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 incident near Orlando, Florida, January 2, 1993
On January 2, 1993 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15, registered N9056D, was involved in an incident near Orlando, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND EXCESSIVE DESCENT RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1993 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 FIREFLY 7- · all FIREFLY 7-15s on the register
- Registration
- N9056D · no longer on the register · serial F7-727
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING AN APPROACH TO A FIELD, HE OBSERVED OBSTACLES AHEAD AND INITIATED A CLIMB TO CLEAR THEM. HE THEN INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT FOR A LANDING IN THE NEXT CLEARING BECAUSE OF OBSTACLES AT THE FOR END OF THE FIELD. THE BALLOON LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, THEN TOUCHED DOWN, AND THE GONDOLA TIPPED OVER AND WAS DRAGGED FOR ABOUT 80 FEET.
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: 166 hours in all; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1992; 45 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 12:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
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.