Balloon Works FIRFLY 7 accident near Ballwin, Missouri, June 20, 1982
On June 20, 1982 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Balloon Works FIRFLY 7, registered N1506A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ballwin, Missouri. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- June 20, 1982 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ballwin, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Balloon Works FIRFLY 7
- Registration
- N1506A · no longer on the register · serial 11163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING HIS ABILITY TO MAKE 3 LANDINGS TO MEET THE FLIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR A PRIVATE PILOT RATING. THE FIRST 2 LANDING WERE WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER THE THIRD TAKEOFF, AN INCREASE IN THE WIND VELOCITY WAS ENCOUNTERED. FOR THE THIRD LANDING, AN OPEN FIELD WAS SELECTED. THE FIELD WAS DOWNWIND FROM A RIDGE AND A HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE. ACCORDING TO THE CREW MEMBERS, A SEVERE ROTOR OR VERTICAL WING CURL WAS ENCOUNTERED WHICH COLLAPSED THE SIDE OF THE ENVELOPE, ALMOST A THIRD OF ITS VOLUME. REPORTEDLY, THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE LANDING APPROACH WAS ESTABLISHED. THE STUDENT TRIED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOST HEAT AND LIFT BY USING BOTH THE MAIN AND THE AUXILLARY BURNERS. BUT WHILE STILL DESCENDING WITH POWER LINES AHEAD, THE PILOT ELECTED TO DEFLATE THE BALLOON FOR AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. HOWEVER, THE ENVELOPE DRAPED OVER THE LINES AND STARTED BURNING WHEN THE LINES ARCED.
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: student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,660 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Samco Enterprises
The flight
- Departed from: Eureka MO at 7:30 am
- Destination: Eureka MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 am from STL, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.